Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-06-09

EzzzzzzZz<<Ei2 ZzzzzZzzz perquisites of member af Congress. This latter class wants to know what Fitzgerald is driving at-and here is the explanation.
 There is contingent fund of the House and Senate which covers eX- penditures for everything from cake of soap for the barber shop to the travelling expenses of witnesses called before Senate and House committees. Telegraph and telephone bills, for in- stance, are paid from the contingent fund and MT. Fitzgerald says he has discovered that "it is a crying shame the way the fund is abused by those who claim to send official messages
 It is probable that the New York member is right, if official business 1 is to be strictly interpreted, but the members of the House rose up in their indignation and swatted the Fitzger aid amendment to limit the telegraph allowance. The opponents of the plan of the economical chairman of the appropriations committee said that members were forced to send a great many telegrams properly label ed official business and they pro- posed the government should continue to pay for them.
 The practice to which MT. F'itzger- aid referred in biting terms. however, was that of sending personal mes sages disguised as official messages. There is line of distinction between the purely official message member i is compelled to send because he hap pens to be member of Congress and the message sent to boost his own game But quite number of states men fail to see the destinction and they are decidedly averse to digging down for telegraph tolls at the GUS tomary rates. The government rate, allowed by all telegraph companies, is even cheaper than the night letter rate and member can say great deal with comparatively little expense to the government and absolutely none to himself.
 It is an open secret that many mem bers abuse the official business message Suppose the gentleman from Oshkosh has succeeded in getting a large appropriation for river in his district He is naturally elated and while he might wait for the newspa- ! Ders to transmit the news or might even write letter to his most pow erful constituents, the member IS more apt to stroll over to the tele- graph office in the capitol corridors and send along a message like this; "Jno. Smith, Controller of Votes, Oshkosh. House today passed river and harhors bill. Item of $100,OO0 for Deep Run river remained in the bill after hard fight wagel by my self. This is a great victory for Osh- kosh. Have this telegram posted ill the post office or read at meeting of the Board of Tade and pass the word along that succeeded in getting the item retained despite the opposition of number of jealous members of the House who were disappointed in not getting their appropriations.
 Fearing that some of his other more important constituents may feel piau- ed in the event they do not also re- ceive telegram similar in purport to the one sent John Smith. the mem Der runs his finger down the list and probably will duplicate the Smith telegram a half dozen times to promi- < ncnt citizens in his district.
 In each instance the telegram is marked official business the mem- Der contending that a part of his of ficial duties consist in keeping the voters posted. The government pays the bill
 i Suppose senator desires to con- verse with another senator who hap 7! pens to be out of town, say during q recess of Congress- Senator Blank may be in San Francisco and Senator l Dash probably ill New York. One sen ator wires the other to know if "a conference is possible at midway point There is considerable dallying I xt.