Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1901-10-24
FEW SENATORS MAKE MONEY.
pend Upon Their Salary for
Their Support,

In the United States senate arc
several wealthy men, but there are
some of the most influential mem
bers of that body who depend upon
their salaries for support, says the
Washington Star. To two"thirds of
the senators the annual salary of
$4,000 is consideration not to be
despised. There are few perquisites
to exc out this comparatively meager
compensation-none, in fact, worth
mentioning. The government pro.
vides one or two clerks to attend to
the senator's correspondence, which
is always heavy; it allows minimum
of free stationery, and it returns
some of his travelling expenses.
There is opportunity, of course, to
make money through speculation,
and some senator's avail themselves
of it. One senator, who was a large
holder of Washington real estate, in
creased its value very materially by
steering legislation for street inn
provements in its direction, while
every manipulation of tariff sched-
ules and of internal revenue taxation
affecting steel and iron,~ tobacco,
whisky and sugar, reveals the close
connection between the senate of the
United States and Wall street. But
this acquisitiveness, to call it by no
harsher name, is, after all, confined
to the few senators who are noted
for their commercial instincts.
Thu mo S1,pst~v ~
speculate. They content themselves
with their modest salary; and how
they manage to live upon 1t is a
daily wonder. The demands upon the
senatorial purse are incessant. Every
senator is persistently approached
by stranded constituents, who expect,
and generally receive, financial assist
ance. Unless he elects to live in abb
solute retirement it is also incumbent
upon him to maintain some social
position. Occasionally senator will
come to Washington with the idea
that he can be something or some
body upon $4,000 year. 1t does not
take many months to show him the
futility of the effort. In fact, it is
impossible for a senator to save any
thing from his salary, unless he hides
in q back street, burying himself like
q hermit, neither entertaining nor be-
ing entertained. In the diplomatic
service the leading ambassadorial
positions are bestowed upon men
whose encourage can be maintained
by their private fortunes, and the
time does not seem to be far distant
when the senate of the United States
will be composed in large degree of
rich men simply because a poor man
cannot afford to accept the position.
It is to the credit of the senate
that wealth is not yet the standard
by which its members Judge each
other. There are millionaires in the
senate who occupy Insignificant
places who are never consulted by
their colleagues and who simply fol-
low where others lead. On the other
hand, men who possess brains are con-
sequential factors in determining leg
islation,, although in material wealth
they may be as poor as church MICE
A man cannot rise to eminence in the
senate by wealth alone. Herein, it
seems to me, is much basis for felic-
itation. Until this condition changes
the senate will continue to be what
it il to-day, the greatest legislative
body in the world. OF course, the
time may come when the sordid in
fluences which measure man by the
size of his bank account may control
the senate. Let us, at least, be thank
full that this time has not yet ar
rived, and let us hope for the sake
of the republic that it will Fever
come.