Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-03

ton each candidate could look forward to
this allowance as almost pure gain. The
| railroad and parlor companies had for years
provided each senator and representative
with annual pass for himself and trip
passes for his family; but the present Con-
gress by passing the railway rate law Of
last summer deprived itself and successors
of this extra pin money, for the law for
bids the issuing Of passes. AS 1t is, no one
longer begrudges a congressman his 20
cents per mile, which Mttle more than pays
for his ticket, his sleeping car and dining
car fees What he has left about suffices
to keep the walters and porters on speaking
terms with him.
Saved Every Cent of Salary.
II know man who was four years a
member of the House and who saved alb
solutely $4,000 during that period said a
representative the other day. He was a
preacher, without any other revenue what
soever. but also family and no bad hab-
it's. He saved every cent that he could lay
his hands on. When he came to Congress
he discovered some people of his faith who
worshiped in hall at the capital. They
couldn't afford a church or a regular
preacher, SO he struck up bargain with
them according to which they boarded him
free and lie preached to them gratis. They
took him into their homes turn about by
the week. He drew his mileage, Travelled on
passes to and from Washington, turned all
of his stationery account into cash, and
expenses. Thus he saved every cent Of his
salary-S20GG0 in four years
This stationery allowance, which can be
drawn either in office sundries or in cash by
each member, is 1925 per year. In addition
there is allowance of 81, POO a year for
clerk hire and large part of this some
members used to save by clubbing together,
each paying a small sum to the same ste
nographer. Some have saved the entire al
lowance by writing their own letters and
others have appointed their wives or
daughters as their clerks. Other. members
have been known to sell their quotas of
garden seeds and even their government
reports intended for free circulation among
constituents.
Some ten years ago there was expos
ure of a member who sold his seed quota
back to the contractor who was supplying
the seed to the government. He received
$75 for the lot, but there were extenuating
circumstances, as his district lay in the
heart of big city and did not boast of
single garden plot.
Patronage Nearly All Gone.
The congressman has lost much in patron
age within the past decade From the time
that Jackson introduced the custom Of
making appointments to the government
departments a reward for party effort
until civil service reform became a stern
reality every clerk or laborer in the govern
ment offices was appointed through the in
consular corps in being filled by examina-
ton and promotion, and the representative
has hardly plum left to bestow upon the
faithful.
The representatives to be elected Tuesday
will enjoy comforts unknown to all prede-
cessors. Before their terms have ended the
new office building of the House of Repre-
sentatives-a cassie pile now being erected
within stones throw of their wing of the
Capitol-will have been completed Today
members who are not chairmen of commit
tees must, if they wish elbow room, camp in
committee rooms or rent offices at their
own expense. In the new office building
each member whether a chairman or not
will have his private sanctum, 16x25 feet,
with recess for a coat closet and another
for waShstand. There will also be a
conference room 54xS6 feet, to accommodate
such gatherings as caucuses. Adjoining this
big han, which will seat $50 people, there
will be two party meeting rooms one for
the democrats and the other for the repub-
leans. Another feature will be an official
restaurant to which only members and their
friends will be admitted Here your rep
resentative may give you a terrapin lunch
con before his term is out, If you whip the
boys into line for him on Tuesday and helm
him win out
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS.