The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-24
He Has Various Perquisites and Al
IOwances. None of which Is
Permitted to Get Away.
is NOT OF MUCH IMPORTANCE
FINDS THAT MANY OTHER OFFICIALS
TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER HIM.
Is Usually Disappointed Over His
Committee Assignments, but Is
Kept Busy by Constituents.
corresponding Of the indianapolis Journal.

Correspondence OF the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.-The Fifty-sev-
enth Congress comes into active life on the
I'd OF December, when. in accordance with
the Constitution, it meets for the first
time. In the year that has ensued since
his election, the new congressman has had
some opportunity to familiarize himself
with one side of his official life. He has
taken up the burden Of pension-getting and
ofice-seeking for his constituents and
learned something of his perquisites In
garden seed and stationery. Possibly he
has been TO Washington, learned the loca-
ton OF the departments and met the Cabi-
net officers and the appointment clerks. But
the average congressman, unless he is a
man Of independent means. does not come
10 Washington until he can draw mileage.
The law allows him ten cents a mile for
each session of Congress. reckoning the
journey by the shortest route Of travel.
That allowance was made for a time when
travel was slow and expensive. Now the
new congressman travels on a pass and
puts the mileage allowance in his pocket.
1t Is quite a neat sum-the Pacific coast
congressman receives about $1S0-and Is
the first Of the ~perquisites which make it
DOSSlDlc lot uln 10 save part VI hAS SJsOOV
salary each year. 1 know of a congress-
man from the South who. many years ago,
came TO Washington determined to save
his entire salary. He lived on his mileage
and stationery allowances at a cheap board
ing house. walked to the Capitol each day,
carrying his luncheon, and actually took
$40. 900 into private life at the end of his
two years Of service. He came to Wash
- - -1-& - ~ofs-1I IL DaDn-
parative afHuence. for his savings bought
one Of the best plantations in his section
of the South.
ANOTHER PERQUISITE.
Stationery is another congressional
perquisite. Like the extra months pay"
of the Capitol clerks. it has crept into the
system. where to-day it has no reasonable
excuse. The stationery lowan was
originally an allowance for postage and
stationery for official business, made when
the franking privilege was abolished. But
to-day the government furnishes an un-
limited quantity Of official stationery and
all fetal letters are carried free. For
tunately for the new congressman, he may
his stationery allowance or
draw 1t in cash-S125. Usually he draws the
greater part OF it In cash. Looking over
a report Of the clerk of the House for a
recent Congress. l see:
Hon. George D. Perkins:
BY allowance
To stationery SOo
Hon. J. E. Reyburn:
By
To stationery 62
Hon. S. NJ. Stevenson:
BY allowance ..$125.0
To stationery 15.4S
Hon. W. l.. Terry:
BY $3.50
To cash LOU
And so it goes, Nor does 1t follow that
that frugal S15.4s is spent for stationery
used in the governments service. More
often It represents pearl-handled pocket
knives bought by the congressman's son
or given TO a constituent; engraved cards
or dinner invitations ordered by the con-
gressman's wife and daughter. Such pro-
sale items as zone rubber stamp" and two
gross pencils rub elbows on the clerks
report with stamping eight quires in sill
yer" and 400 at home cards." to say moth
ing o. a double overture whatever that
may be- and such serious official literature
as "cne Under the Red Robe"
IS ALLOWED y CLERK.
y perquisite of comparatively recent
growth is the cOn~gressman's clerk. The
appetite for these things grows with what
II feeds on. First the chairman of a COM
mittee had to have a room which he could
call his own and a clerk who could be his
private secretary. Then the lesser con-
gressmen began TO demand a private of
fee at the governments expense. Now he
has a secretary as well on an allowance OF
500 a month during the session of Con-
gress. A far-seeing House OF Representa-
tives voted TO pay this allowance to the
congressman direct and leave its disburse-
ment 10 his discretion. II is almost need
less 10 say that in many cases the con-
gresham is not suspected of letting much
OF the allowance so out of his own keep
ing. Several congressman have been known
10 club together and contribute pro rata TO
the employment Of one clerk at a small sti-
pend. But the 800 clerk hire. averaging
500 a year. is plainly a perquisite OF the
congressman IL he wants TO make il so.
The ,enterprising Southern congressman
whom l have described did not live in the
days of congressional clerks or he might
have sailed away $500 more during his
term Of office.
These are the money advantages which
the new congressman viii find. He has al
ready begun TO enjoy them. for. if there is
no contest In his district. he began TO draw
on the disbursing clerk last March. There
by hangs an untold tale of Silcott. the de-
faulting clerk Of the House. When Silcott
was disbursing clerk a famous ex-member
OF the House was contestant for a seat.
His long service in the past. his personal
Claim on many members and the fact that
his opponent belonged TO the minority in
the House made every one believe that he
was sure 10 win So confident was an Off
cial OF the House that he paid the contest
ant the salary Of a congressman. though the
other man held the certificate OF election.
when the contest was decided against the
eminent ex-member he was unable 10 re-
store the money he had drawn: the official
could not make II good; so the discussing
clerk. who would De held responsible.
grabbed what was in sight and started for
Canada. The explanation Of that famous
defaIcation never went on the official rec
ords.
HAS MUCH TO LEARN.
The new congressman will find that he
has much 10 learn about the way In which