The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-03-18

-SS~J
side London Golden Penny.
THE PAY IN CONGRESS.
While there is no disposition to pass
bill raising the salaries of Congress
men, it is growing more apparent each
year that the existing stipend is Who'll
ly inadequate and that few men with
out private fortunes will consent to re-
main in public life. With every Con-
gress not few useful men quietly
drop out on this account. A New
England representative used to say
facetiously that there were two classes
of men, speaking from the financial
point of view, who should go to Con-
gress-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 in hunting them up.
As this member said he belonged to
neither class Congress was no place
for him.
II have reached conclusion as to
how much it costs man to be in Con-
gress, even on the most economical
basis" remarked representative OF
moderate means today in discussing
this subject. "Whatever it is costing
a man to live at home it will cost him
that amount to live here, $4,000, the
Congressional salary. 1 pay at a
hotel here $24O month for accom-
modations for my wife and myself,
which is 81 day per capita, with no
reductions for absences from the
city.
"a Congressman must live at a
hotel. The moment he buys a house
it gets telegraphed to his district that
be thinks he has a life claim on his
seat, and the cha noes are that the eau
cuses will 60 against him the next
time. A Senator, elected for six years
many sometimes build house, but
even with him the experiment has not
always proved safe. l abhor hotel
life, but feel that for political reasons
l must submit to it.
"a man must also allow 20 per cent.
of his salary at the least calculation for
subscriptions to political and chari-
table enterprises in his district, good,
bad and Indifferent. think few
persons will take exception to my
formula that the man at home who
wants to come to Congress must bring
his present living expenses with him,
in addition to what Uncle Sam pur-
poses to pay him."
There was time, twenty years or
MORO ago. whom by common consent
ibis 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 "striker"
for aid has become recognized as dis,
tinct type of congressional parasite,
but one which cannot wholly be ig-
nored.
A rich Pennsylvania Representative
was accosted by a well-dressed man in
the lobby who began to tell plain
tale of travel, but he had not gone
through two sentences before the dis
cerning Keystone statesman interrupt
ed: "What7 Are you strapped %
"That, Mr.. -, is just what | was
getting around to say" and with an
other mouthful of explanation and
apology occupied the time while the
NJ. C. was drawing 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 substan-
tial sum in this way.-Boston Tran
script.
II wonder why Marryat dislikes me
sop
"Aren't you the fellow that asked
him if the New Woman didn't make
him tired?'
eyes; but"
"Well, don't you know he has just
l. 81 ~~,;fc2s1