The Washington times., 1902-09-14
RANKING PRIVILEGE WORKS
HARDSHIP ON POSTOFFICE

7 THE close OF eacn session OF
~ Congress, when the exodus of
1 \ members, clerks, and attaches
takes place, the Washington
city postoffice has a difficult time to
handle the outgoing mail. Especially is
this true at the end of a Congress when
many members of both branches retire
to private life.
The reason of this influx of mail is
men have the privilege of franking home
their personal effects through the mails.
in theory this franking privilege ex-
tends only to the Congressional docu-
ments, books, papers. and letters re-
lating TO official business, but in prac-
tice it covers almost everything which
the ordinary member OF the Senate or
House has in his possession. 1t is one
Of the perquisites connected with Con-
gressional life which make life bearable
Toward the end of the session each
Congressman receives three chests. Two
OF them are of pine, but strongly built
and braced. They are about three feet
II.
q half in depth. The third is of cedar.
slightly larger than the others Having
been utilized for shipping purposes, 1t is
stored away in scme closet. where it
becomes the receptacle for the family
furs, fine dresses, and other materials
on which the moth feeds. Sometimes it
is used as a chest for the family silver.
When the Congressman receives his
quota of boxes he has nothing to paw
They come from the House carpenter
shop, and are built by the House car
penter, and paid for out of the contin-
gent fund of the Senate and House. Into
these boxes the member or his clerk
loads all his letter files, papers. docu-
ments. books, maps, and other publica-
tions which he has in stock Typewrit-
ers. letter presses, inkstands, and office
paraphernalia are stored away in their
recesses. Frequently clothing, bed
ding, and other personal household ef-
fects are packed in these boxes.
After being filled to the brim they are
locked and the tops screwed down, and
they are then carted off to the post
office, where they are shipped through
the mails to all points within the bor-
ders of the United States.
Abuses of the franking system an
employe of the Postofi;ce yesterday said.
are not nearly SO prevalent as they
were some years ago. l remember the
time when it was considered the prop
er thing for Senators and members to
ship home anything they wished by sim
ply placing their address and their frank
Upon 1t. That time has, fortunately for
the service, gone by. IL is now consid-
cred breach of good manners to ship
anything under a frank that cannot be
packed in the special boxes or in the
nail sacks which are provided for docu-
nents. Formerly furniture, desks.
trunks, and even buggies and carriages
were franked home in mail cars.
Nowadays we seldom come across
anything of that kind. except an occa-
sional trunk or two. Ii is also no longer
considered fair thing for a Congress
man to send his laundry or family wash
TO his home and have il returned under ,
his frank. There used to be member
from Indiana who was addicted to this
habit. Ee had a family of about five
children, and yet after two terms he re-
tired with about $4,000. which he had
saved out of his salary. One of his /
daughters acted as his private secretary, |
another was a clerk in one of the de- |
partments. and small son was a page |
at the Capitol. The entire family prac- /
t:ced rigid economy, and among other |
things the Congressman each week |
franked home his family washing. of
course, he did not save much by the op- |
Grafton. but in the course of four years |
service II must have amounted to at least |
5000. have heard he was one of those /
who constantly use their com |
mittee stationery and draw their allow |
snce of $125 for such in cash.
1--WE used to nave considerable difficult |
ty with household furniture. A folding /
bed or lounge is not a desirable object |
In postal car. 1t is bad enough TO have |
the car filled with bags of documents or