The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-05-05

S., 600 per year; ana IN oruer that the
compensation shall be equal, among
members, the government pays their
travelling expenses. Otherwise the
representative who comes from the
Pacific coast to the capital. paying
his way, would realize very much
less ON his salary than a representa-.
tive from Maryland or Virginia.
The cost of travel was greater in
the olden days than now. and the
free pass had not become one of the
devils favorite inventions. Conse-
quently, the lawmakers declared
that the taxpayers should furnish
twenty cents per mile to meet the
expenses of the representative in GO
ing from his home to the post of
duty.
Inasmuch as every member of COLI
gress-occasionaI cranks excepted
now rides on free passes, the mileage
has become a considerable addition
to the salary.
A member who lives west of the
Mississippi will find his pay increased
a sixth, or a fifth, according to the
distance from the Atlantic seabOard !;
while the delegate who comes from
Hawaii will pocket considerably more
than 81 900 for the alleged cost of get
! ting to Washington.
So far, good. Everybody knows
that congressman do not pay their
way, and everybody knows that mile
age no longer has any honest founda-
ton; but we've got used to the grab,
and we let it go, as inevitable, with
| a weary sigh of hopeless disgust.
But thu congress which recently
adjourned broke all previous records
and gave the country new CHI Apter
in the record of brazen dishonOr.
Previous to the meeting of the reg
ular session there had been an extra
session. This held on till the regular
| session began. There was no interval
between the two. So far as time was
concerned, the one ran into the other.
Hence, no member went home from
the extra session and came back to
the regular session.
There was absolutely no recess"
at all-not a minute between the one
session and the other,
Now, behold the evil influence of
bad example
The president got the idea that
while there was no ''actual'' recess
there was constructive" recess.
The Mephistopheles VINO whispered
this balefii advice in the cal, of MIR.
Roosevelt was better friend to the
appointees who wee to benefit by it
Gen Wood and DIR. Crum, for eX-
ample-than they were to the presi-
dent. The members of congress were
not slow to reason the case to this
effect:
''If there has been such recess as
to give Gen. Wood promotion in
the army, and to DIR. Crum fat Of
flee in the revenue service, then it
has been a recess for all purposes.
''If the president can fill offices
upon supposed recess, we can fill
our pockets with mileage upon the
same supposition.
''The whole thing being imaginary,
that theory which puts Wood higher
up on the payroll, and which puts
negro in the custom house at Charles
ton, Will also imagine that we went
home during the supposed recess, and
that we have just returned from Ala
bama, Georgia, Wisconsin, Califor-
mia, and the state of Washington. It's
poor rule that won't work both
ways.
x*x
The law clothes the president with
the power to make recess appoint
ments-Which rids him of the neces-
sity of consulting the senate. In this
instance, he created a recess in his
mind, when none existed in fact, and |