The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-22

of polzing fun at the representatives. or
assuming an air of lofty dignity when
ever canned speeches are mentioned, put
there is no doubt that many of the gem
tlemen in the upper house would right
gladly crate their speeches in The Record
first.
The only unspoken words that the Sem
ate allows under its rules are those con-
tanned in tables that are permitted occa-
sionally for the purpose of calculating
some speech actually delivered on the
floor. Public Printer Donnelly thinks that
he can get all the unspouted COMPRESSION
al speeches reeled off In The Record with
in two weeks after adjournment. When
they are all printed. The Record will ST.
lently suspend publication until the next
session of Congress, which Is due to start
on the first Monday In December.
Next to the printing bill the largest In
dividual item of expense attendant upon
the extra session is the mileage of the
senators and members According to the
Sofficial figures of the ssrgeant-at-arms
of the House the representatives have
drawn In mileage thus far, since March
Is, when the session began, the sum OF
S148,314S0 The secretary of the Senate
reports the mileage Of the senators as
s42 90. Adding these together we have
$3.50, 45O40, which in turn added to the
printing bill will foot up s60o. 800 me
sergeant alarms of the House reports
that five members have failed thus far
to draw their mileage.
Why they have been SO careless or
thoughtless is not known, but there need
be no 1ubilation over this omission, Tor
they are sure to approach the pay WIN
dow with their statement before many
days are gone. 1t is just possible that III
the end the senators and congressman
will not get any extra mileage for the
extra session. They received none when
they were called into extraordinary ses-
sion by President Mckinley to make the
Dingiey tariff When Congress met to
repeal the Sherman law, on summons OF
President Cleveland, the congressman
were paid their mileage for the extraor-
binary session and no objections were
made. The auditing officers of the gov
eminent put up robust objection, how
ever. during the Mckinley administra-
ton, and the congressman got only their
one car fare for the extra and regular
first session.
The extra session just closed Is regard
ed In the eyes of the law as the first ses-
sion of the Sixty-hrst Congress, SO unless
a. court ruling is made which reverses
the treasury department the lawmakers
will get no mileage when they come to-
cether next December. The senators and
congressman, however, nave not gwen
I'D hope of securing their mileage for the
Dingley law session, for they carried the
case to the court of claims. General
Grosvenor, until recently representative
from Ohio and one of the leaders OF the
Cannon machine in the House. Is the at
torney in charge of the case for the mile
age claimants. The mere fact that most
of the senators and congressman did not
return to their homes between adjourn
ment on March and the beginning OF
the extra session on March 10, does not
lessen their desire to get the mileage.
1t is so much velvet If they can get
1t. and the majority of the gentlemen who
go to Washington to serve their country
have the reputation of getting all they
can.
The statesmen get Is cents mile over
| the longest possible route to their homes.
| Some of the Pennsylvania members get
more than 500 for a trip.
AS an evidence of the receptive dispo-
| sition on the part of members of Con-
| gress 1t might be mentioned that the
| representatives voted themselves each
| SIPS extra 'stantionery allowance" soon
| after the beginning of the extra session.
| great many of them do not spend more
than s15 or $40 year on their stationery.
] There are 3s1 members, four delegates