Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-14
MILEAGE TO Be PAID
An Interesting Subject for
Congress.
WHAT WILL BE DONE
DOUBLE ALLOWANCE FOR ONE
BOUND TRIP TO CAPITAL.
Precedent is to Pay Travelling Elk
penses for Extra Ses-
sions.

The question of mileage will be an inter
esting one for senators and representatives
when the special session Of Congress meets
November o. The fact is. senators and
members will come here November or
earlier and will remain until the end of the
regular session next summer. Except II
unusual cases they will not go home be-
tween the adjournment of the special ses-
sion and the meeting of the regular SEES
sion 1t is quite likely that the specia
session will last until a few days of the
first Monday in December when the regu-
lar session meets.
Notwithstanding the single round trip
they will make from their homes to this
city and back again, it is quite likely that
they will pay themselves for two round
trips. The law provides that upon the
meeting of Congress. soon thereafter
as senator's or representatives shall be in
attendance they shall be paid mileage for
the entire session. The law provides for
mileage only for the two regular sessions
of Congress. and specifically provides that
lin no case shall constructive mileage be
computed paid"
A Liberal View Taken.
1t has been customary for Congress to
take a liberal view of these matters and to
pay mileage for extra sessions. In 1888,
when the Sherman slver-purchasing act
was repealed at a special session, which
the first session of the Fifty-third Con-
gress. mileage was paid. There was a very
strong reason in that case why it should be
paid. The session WIS called in August.
and the meeting was on August 10. All the
senators and representatives had gone to
their homes. After the special session
closed they all returned to their homes. 1t
las not been customary for Congress to al
low travelling expenses for extra sessions
of the Senate only.
In the special session which met March
II. 1897, when the Dingley bill was passed.
the case different, and yet Congress
voted to pay it's members mileage. Con-
gress Adjourned March 4, and it was at
once known that the extra session would
meet eleven days later. Only in exceptional
cases did any one go home during the in
terval of eleven days. But an appropria-
ton was made to pay them all mileage and
they all got it.
In the special session that is coming the
condition viii be very much it was in
1897. No trip home will be taken between
the special and the regular session, but
there is little doubt that Congress Will, by
joint resolution, make the money apprOpri-
ated for mileage in the regular session
available to pay for mileage in the special
session. Later when the regular session
urgency appropriation bill to pay mileage
for that session.
Apply for Mileage Immediately.
Senators and representatives have been
accustomed to apply for their mileage i'm
mediately upon the meeting of Congress, or
soon as they reach the city after Con-
gress has assembled The appropriation
having been made in the previous session.
in special session the case is different.
They will have to wait until the joint reSo-
luton for the payment of mileage has been
passed by themselves before they can get
the money that will be coming to them on
that account
The provision of the law that in no case
shall constructive mileage be computed or
paid does not mean that senators and rep
resentatives shall actually travel to their
homes during the intervals between SeSS- O1S
of Congress in order to be paid. 1t is mere
ly equivalent to declaring that they shall
be present at the session for which the
mileage is paid before drawing the money.
They may have remained in this city be-
tween the sessions but that would make
no difference in their right to have The
money. For that reason. although they
will in almost every case make but one
round trip from their homes to this city
Curing the extra and regular sessions of
Congress, they will be paid mileage for
two such round trips.
Travelling Expenses.
Every Congress costs about $4,000 in
mileage for senators and representatives.
The last Congress appropriated $4,000 for
mileage for the Senate and 100000 FOR
members of the House of Representatives.
This appropriation is made large enough
so that in the event of deaths and resigna-
items there may be money to pay mileage
10 those who are elected to fill the unex-
pired terms.
Congress allows its members 20 cents a
mile for travelling expenses. That permits
some of the members on the Pacific coast
to draw as much as 81 200 for the round
trip. The coming extra and regular ses-
sions, being practically one session will
give such senators and representatives 81
400 for the round trip. That is regarded as
a pretty fat sum to pay for the round trip,
which requires less than two weeks of
travelling.
Congress takes liberal view of providing
for its expenses. 1t takes the view that it's
members should travel in the best style
and pay for everything they get without
stinting in the least.
whether they do actually pay for their
travelling accommodations or whether they
travel on passes. There has never been
sympathy with any suggestion that men,
bers should certify to having paid their
travelling expenses before being paid mile
age.
In the coming extra session 1t Is possible
that some member with conscientious scru-
pies against paying $4,000 for mileage.
when little or no travelling is performed.
will make some opposition to the passage of
the joint resolution for that purpose. Such
a member might argue that II they wait
until the meeting of the regular session
money already available for mileage can
be drawn and that one round trip will be
all that should be paid for. But against
such opposition the custom of Congress is
apt to prevail and the double mileage will
doubtless be paid.