Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-20
DAWSON ASKS FOR SHOWING OF
THOSE WHO RECEIVE MONEY
FOR CLERK HIRE
HOUSE TURNS HIM DOWN
Congressman Lacey Makes His Posi-.
tion Plain With Reference to the
Land Office Job or Any Other Ap'
pointive Position at Capital.

Washington, D. c., Dc. 19.-Repre-
sentative Dawson called attention to
a crying evil in the house of repre-
sentatives a few days ago. when he
sought to have the legislative, execu-
tive and judicial bill amended so that
1t would require representatives in con-
gress to publish the names of their
clerks. At present the matter to the
representative is in the nature of a
perquisite. The appropriation bill au-
thorizes each representative In the
house to receive one hundred dollars
on account of clerk hire on a certif-
cate that he has expended that amount.
There is no reason why representa-
tive like a senator should not be en-
titled to private secretary to be paid
have him appointed in the regular way
the disbursing officer. At present a
majority Of the representatives draws
the full one hundred and pays 1T over
to a stencgrapher or clerk, but there
are numerous instances where they re-
tain all or part of it. There have been
instances where several members get
together and hire one stenographer to
do the work of all and each contrib
utes a small sum as compensation and
in the end the representative pockets
a good share of the allowance. There
are very few instances where repre-.
y sentaiives certify to an expenditure OF
Z less than S100 month. There have
been cases where clerks have received
$50 month for doing the work of a
member, while the remaining $50 a
i-ihonth has been given to some member
of the representatives. family. MIR
Dawson was fully alive to the situa
ton when he proposed changeain the
4 system. But the representatives were
apparently in no humor to adopt his
suggestion and in the future as in the
post they will continue to draw 500
month and dispose of it in their own
way.
Lacey's Position Plain.
Representative Lacey has made ii
clear to his colleagues in the house
that he does not desire to be commits
sioner Of the general land Office or tc
have any other appointive Office. He
has a good law practice at home and
says he prefers to live in Iowa rather
than in Washington. It has been
known for some time that Mr.. Lacey
was serving his state in the house al
a financial sacrifice, for he could make
more than $4,000 year in the practice
of his profession. In view of the va
cancy that will occur in theaofice OF
commissioner of the general land Of
flee on March by the retirement o1
William A. Richards Of Wyoming and
the further fact that Mr.. Lacey has
had considerable experience in public
land matters as the head of the house
! committee on public lands, it was gen
orally believed that the President
would turn to the Iowa representative
as affording happy solution to the
problem Of filling that Office.
Allison Receivers Health.
One. of Senator Allison's closes
friends and associates has just arrived
from Dubuque and declares that the
senator is in splendid health agai1
and will afford an agreeable surprise
to his friends when he returns here
after the holidays. He intends to re
sumo his active work in the committee
Of appropriations and will in the future
as he did before his illness, direct the
general appropriation bills through
the senate. The first matter that will
claim the senator's attention after hi
return will be the caucus of the low;
delegation on the federal patronag,
in that state. A meeting was to hav,
been had before the holidays, but i
was thought best to postpone it unit
Senator Allison returned.
Governor Cummins, of Iowa, VIII,
had brief talk with the President to
day on the car shortage question, de
clared it to be his intention to recon
mend in his message to the Iowa leg
islature in January the enactment o
legislation which will impose fine OF
railroad company which neglects u
furnish cars to shippers after certain
number of days. The governor ais
thinks consignees should be require,
to speedily unload their cars and no
use them for storage purposes.
Frank J. Stillman
CONTEST MEYER WILL.