The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1905-05-04
LEGALITYSORv m Atty

last week, tarried for a time in
St. Paul and was met by the omni'
present reporter and interviewed in
regard to the much discussed smile
age" bill.
The interview is mastery plea
in avoidance and confession but
wofully weak as justification.
The congressman says:
awe are sustained by the law
that we found had been in force
long before any of us were congress
men. This states that the COM
pensation of congressman for
services rendered to his country
shall be IS, 900 per annum and In
addition thereto mileage at the
rate of 20 cents mile to and from
his home for each regular session
of congress. In the word regular
is comprehended any session called
by any of the methods prescribed
by law.
1.-THE law does not state that we
have to do any travelling to secure
the mileage. That is not the ques-
ton. l and many other members
make several journeys to and from
home during one session and we
never receive nor expect mileage
allowance for them. But when
the law expressly stipulated that
the compensation of congressman
shall be $4,000 and in addition
thereto mileage at the rate of 20
cents a mile over the most con-
venient route, / fail to see any
unlowful grab in it. l am one
of those fellows that believes and
purposes to have every cent that is
due me under the law; but not a
cent more"
There is not an intelligent citizen
of the country but knows that the
members of congress had "legal'
right to this mileage money That
is not the question. 1t is: did
they have 'moral" rig ht to it,"
1t is true that as the congressman
says: The law does not state we
have to do any travelling to secure
the mileage" But the 'sintent''
of the mileage law was to reimburse
members for necessary and legiti-
mate transportation expenses of
the one trip from their homes to
the capitol for each session.
The term ''mileage' demon
strates this, and the fact that the
law provides it shall be estimated
by the .smost convenient" route,
shows it conclusively. If a member
does not take this trip morally, he
is no more entitled to it than he is
entitled to mileage for personal
trips taken home during the session.
The congressman further says:
81 am one of those fellows that
believes and purposes to have every
cent due me under the law but not
a cent more"
This is the plea of every illegal
CRATER" from the days of Shylock
to John D. Rockefeller, when they
demand their pound of flesh.
''The law awards it and the court
doth give it,"
The congressman hurls defiance
at his critics as follows:
81 voted for it and so did every
other member of the house who
was not coward"
How brave they were, these
congressman who were looking for
little easy money.
The extra session was called in
the autumn of 1902. 1t instantane-
ously merged into the regular ses-
sion in December 1902. Not a
word was said about the mileage
during the extra session when it
became illegally" due.
The regular session came on,
adjourned, and every member col
lected his mileage for the regular
session and no word was said about
the mileage for the extra session
which became illegally" due before
that of the regular session.
Again congress assembled in
regular session in December 1908.
Mileage was drawn for this session
and no word about extra session
mileage.
Just before congress adjourned
sine die, it then occurred to the
brave men that there was due them