The Detroit times., 1910-12-05
MEETING OF CONGRESS
IV.-THE HOUSE EMPLOYEES
By FREDERIC ! HASKIN

long before he discovered there was
sad need OF an index 10 speeches de-
livered I'm congress. The regular In
dex TO the congressional record.
though satisfactory in the matter OF
locating the history OF legislation. has
been a zero quantity SO far as find
ing what was said. or when IL Was
said. on any given subject Boobar
set to work and mapped out 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. 4 single
example will show its advantages. \
few weeks ago the railways security
commission wanted to get list o!
every speech delivered in the senate
and house on the physical valuation
of railroads. The congressional rec
ord index was gone through. the ie-
sources of the library OF congress
were exhausted. and then the clerk,
in desperation. called on Il newspa-
per friend TO aid him The newspa-
per man cited him 10 Boobar's card
index OF. congress. and what other
wise would have been IA labor OF
NtShS became ldSk OIL lew nouTs.
The minority party In the house al.
ways is accorded few places by the
majority. There are certain EN-
ployes whose especial duty is to look
after the minority members. and the
minority caucus is given the priv
ilege OF choosing these. There are
nearly five hundred employees on the
mouse stan, and only about a dozen
OF these positions go TO the minority
This dozen will likely be chosen out
OF the present majority appointees
One who is sure To be retained Is
John &. Clancy. whose name has
been on the house rolls for many
years. He is known as a special EN-
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 He is the
person OF longest service on The
house stan 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
government clerks, and during the
vacations OF congress. for the most
part. have little TO dc. Many OF them
often get nearly half the year OF.
and every one OF them is given full
months extra salary every year
This annual present amounts 10 vari-
Gus sums from $50 TO S4l6 according
TO the salary OF the individual In
addition 10 this. some OF them get
extra pay for special services The
annual extra month for the house
employees costs Uncle Sam $50. 900
| Extra services cost him about $4,000
| a 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 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
$500, 900 required for the payment OF
the salaries and wages OF the house
STAFF OF employees. it requires AS much
more 10 pay the clerk hire OF the
members OF the house. There are
other expenses which bring the total
TO approximately Sl,500.000. Add 10
this the salaries of the members or
the house, and it 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 s5,000000
Tomorrow-Meeting Of Congress.