The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-11-23
PLUMs FOR DEMOCRATS
VIII Make Complete Turnover OF
House Employees.

Washington, Nov. 22-Democratic
control OF the House of Representa-
tives has r cash value OF more than
100000 year to members of that
party. That sum represents the an
nual payroll OF the House. II has
been sixteen years since the demo
Gratis in the ranks with claims to pre-
ferment have had chance to get any
of this money. The last legislative
appropriation bill carried an aggre-
gate Of $697,00 exclusive of the sal.
aries of clerks to members, to pay the
salaries of the several hundred EN-.
ployees Of the House. To this amount
should be added a sum in excess of
| $4,000 which went for extraordinary
| service and special employees. All
of this amount with the exception of
a few thousand dollars, represented in
! the pay Of half a dozen minority en-
ployees, went to the republicans
The democrats, Of course, will
make clean sweep, with the excep-
ton of the siv official stenographic
reporters of d7bates, and possibly the
chaplaincy and one or two old COM
mittee clerks. The reporters get
$4,000 year and the chaplain Is
paid $1,000 The mail OF all the new
ly elected democratic members and Of
the old members who were reelected
is filled with applications for Jobs on
the House payroll. II Champ Clark is
elected speaker he viii have the APP
lpointment of a private secretary at
$4,000 and a clerk at $4,000, another
clerk at $1,000, and a messenger at
$1,000 annual salary.
The important posts to be filled by
election of the House are those of
the sergeantat-arms and the post.
master. These officers have the ap-
pointment of practically all the sub
ordinate employees, with the excep
tion of the clerks TO committees and
janitors, and messengers to commit
tees. which places are the personal
patronage Of the respective chairmer
OF the committees. There are more
than sixty Of these clerkships to bt
filled and II is probable that the only
present clerk to retain his position
will be James c. Courts, clerk to the
committee on appropriations, who's,
services are regarded as invaluable
He has held his place under various
administrations OF the House.
clerkshlp Of the House.
Ex-Representative Alexander Nc
Dowell now holds the choice berth o
clerk of the House. which pays $3.50
a year. Frank Il. Lyon OF New Yorl
Is doorkeeper OF the House, Henri,
Casson of Wisconsin is sergeantai
arms, Joseph c. McElroy is postmas
ter, William ]. Browning Of New Jel
sey is chief clerk, and Herman
Phillips OF Illinois Is journal clerl
All Of these jobs pay between $3.50
and $4,000 year. They are plum
worth picking. for on alternate year
the legislative year begins In Decen
Der and ends March 4. II is sma
wonder that the democrats should
scrambling for them.
Some OF the men who will be turn
cd out have been continuously
place since the republicans capture
the House sixteen years ago. Man
VI NhNu uoNc blchl bLt Dtbl part \
= their working life In these well-cus
/. toned jobs. and II will be hard n
! them TO accommodate themselves
the competition Of commercial III
Representative Livingston OF Georgi
s the ranking democratic on the Apr
priation committee, who has bee
twenty years in Congress, is one
8 the candidates for the clerkship
the House 10 succeed Major McD
E well. He was defeated for renomin
8 ton at home, and became cant
81 date for the clerkship even before h
8 election. He was seventy.eight yea
old last April. but still feels CONF
tent to serve HIS country, II not
81 one capacity, then in another
For many years the best-payi
Jobs on the House payroll have be
parcelled out under the SUPERVISE
II OF what is dellcately called the IN
combine" AS soon as the democrs
get their bearings, and the new
elected majority gets fairly shak
down, II seems Inevitable that n n,
hog combine" should be formed
allot the patronage. Some memb,
OF the House set great deal OF ste
by these Jobs. and are always Sc,
ing, and eager 10 be allowed TO nal
men on the payroll. Others find II
great nuisance, and are happy TO
able to tell their constituents Sc
ing easy work about the Capitol n
tlpV hnya M rnvvnw g.