Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-12-18
THE PAY IN CONGRESS.
Very Few os the sIensbers Can &c
Along Dn Their Saiarfe.

Very Few Oh the members Can Ger
Along On Their Salaries.
While there Is no disposition to pass
bill raising the salaries OF congress-
men, 1t is growing more apparent each
year that the existing stipend IA wholly
inadequate and that few men without
private fortunes will consent to remain
In public life. With every congress not
a few useful men quietly drop out ON
this account. A New England repre-
sentative used to say facetiously that
there were two classes OF men. speak
Ing from the financial point OF view.
who should go to congress-those who
were so rich that no amount of appeal
for money could affect them adversely
and those SO poor that the worst hanger
on would not waste his time I'm hunt.
ing them up. AS TINS member said he
belonged to neither class congress was
no place for him.
II have reached conclusion as to
how much IL costs man to be In con-
gress, even on the most economical
basis" remarked representative OF
moderate means today i'm discussing
this subject. whatever IL Is costing n
man to live at home it will cost him
that amount TO live here. plus $1,000.
the congressional salary pay at a
hotel here $40 month for accommo-
dations for my wife and myself, which
is 81 per day per capita, with no reduc-
tons for absences from the city.
"A congressman must live at a hotel.
The moment he buys house II gets
telegraphed to his district that he thinks
be has a life claim on his seat, and the
chances are that the caucuses Will GO
against him the next time. A senator.
elected for six years, may sometimes
build house, but even with him the
experiment has not always proved safe
L abhor hotel life, but feel that for Do
htcal reasons must submit to it.
"A man must also allow 20 per cent
or his salary at the least calculation for
subscriptions to political and charitable
enterprises in his district good. bad
and Indifferent. l think few persons
will take exception to my formula that
the man at home who wants to come
TO congress must bring his present liy-
Ing expenses with him, I'm addition to
what Uncle Sam purposes to pay him."
There was time, twenty years or
more ago. when by common consent
this was not the case. A congressman
could live in reasonable comfort on his
salary. But standards of entertain
ment are constantly rising, and there
are few men who can afford wholly
to omit social obligations. The "strik-
er" Tor aid has become recognized as n
distinct type Of congressional parasite,
but one which cannot wholly be ig-
nored.
"A rich Pennsylvania representative
was accosted by well dressed man in
the lobby who began to tell a plain tale
or travel, but he had not gone through
two sentences before the discerning
keystone statesman interrupted:
What? Are you strappedr'
That Mr.. -, is just what L was
getting around to say" and with an
other mouthful OF explanation and
apology occupied the time while the
M. G. was drawing a five dollar bill
from his pocket Not infrequently a
professional striker comes to town who
sees every man in the delegation of
the state. often netting u substantial
sum In this way.-Boston Transcript.