The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-05

long before he discovered there wa
sad need OF an index to speeches de
livered in congress. The regular In
dex TO the congressional record.
though satisfactory In the matter OF
locating the history OF legislation, has
been zero quantity so far as find
ing what was said, or when II Was
said. on any given subject. Boobar
set TO work and mapped out a card
index system that would unlock the
treasure house OF congressional
speeches To the world. This index
is much used by members and is an
invaluable aid In legislation. single
example Will show its advantages.
few weeks ago the railways security
commission wanted to gel list or
every speech delivered in the senate
and house on the physical valuation
OF railroads. The congressional rec
ord index was gone~through. the re-
sources Of the library or congress
were exhausted, and then the clerk.
In desperation, called OH a newspa-
per friend TO aid him The newspa-
per man cited him to Boobar's card
index OF congress, and what other
wise would have been labor OF
weeks became task OF few hours.
The minority party in the house al.
ways is accorded a few places by the
majority. There are certain EN-
ployes whose especial duty is 10 look
after the minority members. and tle
minority caucus Is given the priv
ilegt OF choosing these. There are
nearly five hundred employees on the
mouse stan. and only about a dozen
OF these positions 90 TO the minority
This dozen Will likely be chosen out
OF the present majority appointees.
One who Is sure to be retained Is
John c. Clancy whose name has
been on the house rolls for many
years. He is known as a special emf
ployee, and looks after the comfort
OF Republican members while they
are on the floor. Clancy is LIVING
encyclopedia concerning the things
that were done in the house as far
back as the Civil War lie is the
person OF longest service on the
house STAFF by many years.
In proportion to the work done, the
employees OF the senate and house
are the best paid individuals in The
government service They receive
relatively higher salaries than other
vacations of congress, for the most
part. have little TO do. Many of them
often get nearly half the year on.
and every one OF them is given full
months extra salary every year
This annual present amounts TO vari-
Gus sums from 500 to- s4l6 according
TO the salary OF the individual. In
addition TO this. some OF them get
a M fnr .t,I
annual extra month for the house
employees costs Uncle Sam sec. 900
Extra services cost him about $40, 900
year.
Sometimes clerks are sent out with
funeral parties or on other special
missions, and while, as a rule, they
turn In reasonable expense accounts.
at other times these accounts are
most surprising. In a great many in.
! stances on such occasions the ex.
penses of the employe are greater
than those OF the member of the
house with whom he is travelling.
In addition TO the approximately
100000 required for the payment OF
the salaries and wages OF the house
STAFF OF employees. ii requires as much
more 10 pay the clerk hire OF the
members or the house There are
other expenses which bring the total
to approximately sl,5000OO. Add 70
this the salaries of the members OF
the house, and 1t will be found that
the total cost, exclusive of overhead
charges, OF the house end OF the an
nual legislative product is not far
. from s5000,0 900.
Tomorrow--Meeting Of Congress.