Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-19


that this Is generally true of the element
which casts the independent vote and whose
conversion Is almost the sole function OF
political revivalists.
Privileges, Pay and Perquisites.
More than thousand candidates will con-
test for 1856 seats in the House during this
campaign. In some states the nominations
have, already been made, but in the ma
jority conventions will not be held until
summer. Each state specifies how its rep
resentatfves shall be elected. Thus in
women may cast their ballots for members
OF Congress, while in eleven states immi-
grants may vote before naturalization.
The 3S6 men elected to the House viii re-
ceive the same salary as given to United
States senators-s5,00O. This is more than
Is allowed members of the lower house of
any foreign congress or parliament, some
of whom receive no official salary what
ever. This salary would be meager were
a representative, like President, required
to devote all of his time to his official
duties. But neither the representative, nor
senator. finds 1t necessary to relinquish
his private interests when he takes his seat
In the Capitol Thus, Representative Hearst
of New York finds time to edit four daily
newspapers, just as Senator Platt of the
same state finds time to conduct his big
express company. large majority of
members of both houses are lawyers, and
their election to Congress greatly stimu-
lates their private practice. Very many OF
them are the heads of manufacturing, mer-
and they seldom find 1t necessary to ne
elect these interests. But for the poor man
In Congress there Is more official income
than his bare salary OF $l3.b1 per day.
There are a number of perquisites. Each
member profits directly in proportion to
the distance between his home and Wash
ington. For the beginning and end OF
each session he Is allowed 20 cents per
mile of this distance, and since during one
term there are two sessions with begin
ming and end, this allowance amounts to at
least 80 cents per mile per term. Thus, the
San Francisco members receive for car rare
about 50, 885 per ordinary term and about
s4.O27 per term with an extra session 1t
they travel on railroad and Pullman passes
all OF this Is saved except about 40 Tor
meals and tips The delegate from Homo
l,Ilu receives In this way about S4.925 per
ordinary term or about 81 1887 per term with
extra session. But alongside these figures
the mileage allowances OF members from
MARYLAND or Virginia districts adjoining
the District of Columbia look Insignificant.
Thus VIII be appreciated the full force of
the shock suffered. especially by far west
ern members, when at the beginning OF TINS
wear the large railroads conspared TO With
hold the usual passes of members.
other perquisites are 1928 per year for
stationery. only small amount of which
may be expended II the member uses inc
s22b worth of garden seeds per year, which
I'm scrupulous members have been known to
sell. 81 900 per year for clerk hire, and which
need not be expended for such service; thou
sands of government publications intended
TOR constituents. but which are some
times sold to secondhand book de1lers. In
addition to these allowances each member
receives such paltry perquisites as free
cheats for documents, flowers and cuttings
from the government gardens. and an an
nuaI privilege of having certain number
of books bound free at the government
bindery Some parsimonious members oc-
cupy hotel rooms without baths. and depend
exciusiyely upon the baths OF the Capitol.
aIways open for the gratuitous use of menu
hers There they can obtain without charge
aIso. the finest OF Russian, Turkish or cleo
tric baths. The most modern of barber
shops Is also free to them. as are the serv-
ices of a chipropodfst. And there Is always
an abundant supply of eneryescent head
ache cures digestive tablets quinine pills,
etc. for their free use. In the cloak rooms.
where they lounge and smoke, there are
coolers filled with mineral waters and In
summer. apollinaris lemonade.
The social delights OF q seat In Congress
are indeed abundant. The labyrinth OF
apartments surrounding each chamber and
in the basement below-an behind the
scenes SO far as the visitor in the gallery
IL concerned-constitute what are In fact
the two most comfortable social clubs In the
country Here the poor member from "Po-
hick-on-t aae-Crick" sits cheek by jowI with
the millionaire member from the metropolis.
Here new members in their twenties profit
by the wit and wisdom OF septuage1arian
past masters Of political strategy and state
y Iar4N xcI FTP Err4 wATurNs