The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-21
CORRIDORS FULL OF BOXES
Unusual Scenes Greet Visitors at
the National Capitol.

Packages ia C0HtHin Certain Effects
OF Senators and Representatives
Awaiting shipment Under Frank
ing Privileges - Alleged Abuses.
Visitors to the Capitol since the adj
jourumeaJ of Congress have noticed ard
InarveIed at the piles OF big pine and ce-
Gar boxes which obstruct the corridors in
both the House and Senate wings. These
are piled ten deep around the House Iost-
Office and all bear the names of members
of Congress To the uninitiated the boxes
resemble nothing more than the oId-fash-
toned clothes chest. and many conjec-
lures are had as 20 the uses to which
they are put
The boxes are one Of the results of the
franllfng privilege. rs under dn unwritten
law every Representative and Senator is
allowed three Of them. two of pine and
one of cedar TO be disposed of as the leg
islat0r may deem proper. The Govern
msnt guarantees TO deliver these free Of
charge at any address given, and as
result the cases often contain more old
clothes and personal effects than Official
business. as the FranlIing law provides
for AS i rule. however, the boxes are
filed with Government documents and
publications and sent on nome for dis
posal
1t has been charged that members Of
Congress have filed the boxes with books
borrowed from the House library and re-
tanned them for future use at home In
this way some Of the most valuable pub
licatIons ever stored in the Capitol have
| disappeared and the usefulness of the
! reference catalogue destroyed.
Aside from this matter. it has never
| been denied that the Thanking privilege is
| fea. fully abused There has hardly been
! { case in history wherein member #
! Congress has been subjected to the fine
/ OF 500 which IS the penalty for sending
! anything save official business under
/ frank Yet almost tWO-thirds Of those in
| each Congress openly abuse the priv
! The annals of the Postoff1ce Depart
J lleut, however. show that in recent years
I the frank has been more and mOTs used
a. il was originally intended II should be,
and that the days IN which Member OF
/ Senator would send home - baby grand
piano with the same Sd1gfTgLd with
which he would mail his letters. have
! passed. II was no unusual thing several
! years ago for returning RepTese uLatiEeS
( 10 frank home their household effects
/ The great bulky packages. which would
/ have taxed the capacity OF a freight tram,
/ We're dumped into The pOStOttice mail car,
where they iuterfered with the work of
/ the OVerburdnned clerks
! While it IS true that the abuse has not
/ been so aggravated of late years. there is
/ still considerable room for Improvement,
I but So long as COnsesS makes The lows
and more especially, 50 long as pOsto1Hce
{ appropriations come from the =5-,s -s-.-
! NOR Of individuals in either wing Of the
{ Capitol there GfH be no objection raised
/ in the Postoffire Department. where ev-
/ ervoue. from head official 70 the lowest
: saIaried clerk on the pay rolls. mast look
! to Congress for the annual compensation.
/ IA this very fact can b. found one IF the
/ greatest causes Of the freHkinG abuse
! With the close OF the last session Of
/ Congress came an immense rush Of OK
/ port mail matter. No fear of an extra
I session operated 20 keep much Congress
! iOnal property ia the city after adjourn
uent. and As a result the pustOflce was
/ taxed beyond me point reached FOR many
! years previous
! Throughout the session many Represen-
: tatives conJrived TO send to their homes.
under the frankiag privilege icles
{ ranging from legitimate mail mater
/ speeches. and documents. 20 coUtraband
/ collar sand cuffs to be Numbered at home
! ~ lille this is contrary 70 The exact letter
I Of the law in such matters, no objection
| is ever made TO Members and Senator'S
/ using their discretion in so far as what
/ their mailing list may be The franEing
! business, it is said. is q thing in which
/ one Is AS deep in the mud as the other Is
/ in the IuITs.