Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-02-15

ceiVe ~, ,44O per year, whereas the Old
blind chaplain is considered to be
worth only 5000. Yet he is dependent
upon some one to lead him daily to
and from the Capitol. Laborers in
the folding-room get 81 900, and those
who run the elevators enjoy still more
81 200. The man in charge of the
stationery room draws ~, ,102.4O annu-
ally; his assistants 81, 800 and 81 200
respectively. The little pages who
wait upon Senators get $75 Il month,
the postmaster of the Senate $3.50
annually, firemen $1,O95, and the up
holsterer and locksnith 81 ,440.
BY far the greatest proportion of ex-
pense incurred each year for toilet ar
ticles is demanded by the Senate bar.
Der shops and bathrooms. 1t is not
generally known that each member of
this distinguished body is barberized
gratis as many times a day as he Sc
lects. OF course he can tip the WE'LL
salaried adopts at tonsorial art as
much and as often as he sees fit. But
this is not essential to good service.
Every one employed in the Senate
wing knows that he has "a good
thing" He is always happy, always
smiling, always courteous to a Sena.
tor, no matter how brusquely nor how
stingily he is treated. The Senatorial
barber shop insures the best skill, the
best steel, the choicest tonics, soaps
and perfumes to be had.
The Senatorial bathrooms, as we'll
as those of the House, are located in
that dark and cavernous labyrinth
known as the basement" Here
many dollar is saved by members
who, at many hotels, would be charged
for practicing cleanliness. The vain
Petronius, arbiter elegantiarum of
Nero's court, did not enjoy cleansing
OF his cuticle nor a kneading of his
flesh amid greater luxury. The tubs
are hewn from great slabs of marble
ten feet long. They are sufficiently
capacious to enable the body to be
completely submerged while supine.
In conjunction are all the appurten-
ances to Turkish and Russian baths.
Skilled masseurs are always in readi-
ness to hasten the course of slothful
blood.
The stationery-room of the Sem
ate is likewise an institution OF
great economy, q medium through
which no end of necessities can be
purchased at cost price. Over 81, 100
was exchanged through this room for
card-cases. purses and pocket-books
during the last year. Seven hundred
and fifty-six knives and numerous
cases of cutlery were bought in the
same manner, not to mention dozen
manicures.
For the Vice Presidents room were
bought during the same twelve-month
the following iteme: A silver ink
stand, $1,000; an antique mahogany
desk to set under it. 1925; mahogany
library tables, $3.50; Davenport sofa,
$3.50; two Royal Sennah rugs, 1912;
two pairs Brussels point lace curtains,
$500; Neapolitan silk-velvet portiere,
$40; one clock, 5000; one silk.velour
slumber-robe, made to order, $45.5O.
During one hot week in June the
Senate paid $136 for lemons and
lemonade, and shortly afterwards re.
turned no less than 3,700 empty bot
ties which had contained lithia water.
But the taxpayer should not grow
long.faced at such modest rate OF
revelry as this. considering the fact
that fifteen years ago nearly every
committee-room at the Senate end OF
the Capitol had it's provision of liquors
purchased by the Chairman or by a
member with reputation as a con-
noisseur.
The Senator's salary OF 5000 a
year is perhaps nothing to brag Of.
Yet it is just 5000 year more than
given to members of the British
House OF Lords for their Parliamen
tary duties. To this add $125 allowed
each year for newspapers and station
cry, only $50 of which need be spent.
Further add an allowance for railroad
mileage given at the beginning and
end OF each session and which need
not be expended by those who hold
passes. Each Senator annually re-
ceives thousands Of packages of vege-
table and flower seeds, hundreds OF
government reports, maps and charts
from the various surveys and share
of rare cuttings, bushes and plants.
All of these are furnished gratis from
the departments and are mailed under
frank to such OF his favorite constitu-
ents as he may care to supply there
with. The flowers which grace his
banquet board and adorn the ladies of
his household when they appear at
great social functions are usually sup
piled by the government botanical
gardens. While seated at his desk
Senator need only clap his hands to
summon as many pages as necessary
to order his lunch, deliver his notes or
fetch him books, stationery or a glass
of water. By constitutional right he
is protected against certain penalties.
If chairman of q committee he has at
his personal disposal the clerksh.p OF
that committee, insuring handsome
salary of two or three thousand dol