The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-12-19
FOR PAY N CONGRESS.


White there ID no disposition to pass
a bill raising the salaries of congress-
men. it is growing more apparent each
year taat the oxfsting stipend is wholly
inadequate, and that few men without
private fortunes Will consent to remain
in r~h,ic life, says the Boston Tran
scrip. With livery congress not few
r~e.u men quietly crop out on this ac-
court. A New ErelaNd representative
II Ct to say, facetonsly, that there were
two classes of mer, speaking from the
frarcial point of view. who should
cane to conare ss: These who were so
rich that no amount OF appealfor money
could affect them adversely. and those
so poor that the worst hanger On would
ot waste his time III hunting them up.
rs this member said he belorsed to
r~ither class congr SIS was no place for
him
81 have reached a conclusion as to
how much it costs man to be IN con-
gress. even on the most economical
basis" remarked a representative OF
moderate means the other Gay in Cis-
cussing this subject "Whatever il is
costing a man to live at home, it will
cost him that amount 10 live here, plus
$5.000-the congressional salary. Fay
at a hotel here $24O month for accom-
modations for my wife and myself,
which is four dollars day per capita,
with no reduction for absences from the
city.
"a congressman must live at hotel
The moment he buys house it gets tele-
graphed to his district that he thinks
he has life claim on his seat, ard the
chances are that the caucuses will &c
against him the next time. A ssrator
elected for six years, may sometimes
build a house, but even with them the
experiment has not always proved safe
I abhor hotel life, but feel that for po'
litical reasons must submit to it,
"A man must also allow 30 per cent
of his salary. at the least calculation. fol
subscription to political and charitable
enterprises in his district, good bad and
Indifferent. think few persons will
take exception to my formula that she
man at home who wants to come to con-
gress must bring his present living ex
penses with him. in addition to what
Uncle Sam purposes to pay him"
There was time 20 years or more
ago when by common consent this wa!
not the case. A congressman could live
in reasonable comfort on his salary
But standards of entertainment are con
stantly rising here as elsewhere, and few
meh, can afford wholly to omit soeia
obligations The striker" for aid ha!
become, recognized as distinct type O
congressional parasite, but one which
cannot wholly be ignored.
A rich Pennsylvania representative
and the tendency is now strong in tina
state to send only rich men to congress
was accosted by well-dressed man IL
the lobby recently. who began to tel
plain tale of travel. but he had no
gone through two sentences before tn
discerning Keystone statesman inter
rupted: What. are you strapped"
THAT, Mr.. -, is just what was get
ting around to say" and with anothe
mouthful Of explanation and apolog,
occupied the time while the M. c. wa
drawing five-dollar bill from hi
pocket. Not infrequsntly professional
striker comes to town who sees ever,
man in the delegation uf the state, oftel
netting a substantial sum in this way.