Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-02-27
UENIzED STATEMENT Of
HOW MONEY IS SPENT

BBS
UsudersOnville Has One More Bin for
tbe legislative Mill Now Grinding
Dsy and Night to Dispose of More
Than 1000 in the Hopper Dis
trict Legislation.
(By Noah M. HOIlOWell.)
Raleigh, N. C.-Seventy thousand
dollars!
con of toll to ruminate over, especially
vben he is confronted with the unvar-
rshed fact that the present session Of
the General Assembly will cost North
Carolina $4,000 or more to make re-
make and unmake the laws of this
Commonwealth.
Yes, it's just trifing pesky sum, not
near enough to pay off the States debt
about which the Senators and Repre-
sentatives have spoken SO feelingly
from day to day. But, upon second
thought, these figures begin to expand
As if under a magnifying glass until
they actually get so big one can hardly
grasp them without associating with
them the thought of extravaganza. 1t
is a staggering sum when you figure
il out properly that this State, this
glorious Commonwealth, pays over
$1,000 a day to change the name of
sCme little, Insignificant never-heard-
of-creek; to legislate against the do
nestle felicity of poor. little, inno-
cent honey bee as he gayly fits from
bud to blossom in his short but useful
life only resulting in the tickling of
the palate of human epicuriens with
pleasurable dish; or to- discriminate
against the males of domestic beasts
lust because they were so unfortunate
to be in this sex as the dogs, bache-
lcrs and justices of the peace" were in
Henderson county two years ago when
Judge Ewart. then representative. got
bill through the House to tax these
uHfortunates.
Although these figures of the run
ming expenses of the Legislature may
seem somewhat exaggerated upon first
thought, an examination OF the real
facts will reveal their genuineness. In
order that the readers OF this paper,
many of whom have not been so for
tunate or unfortunate as the case
may be- to look in upon the
body of lawmakers, composed OF
some of the foremost and broad
minded men of the State, the writer
has endeavored to collect few facts
for the consideration of those interest
ed in what is going on in the old stone
capitol. By following this story
closely one will be able to account Tor
every dollar of that staggering sum
mentioned in the first line.
There are fifty Senators and one
hundred and twenty Representatives
drawing four dollars per day for Sixty
days, in addition to which the Speaker
Of the House draws two dollars per day
extra and the President Of the Sen
ate draws his six plunks per day, max
ing total of $41,28O. Each of these
draw ten cents a mile from home to
Raleigh and return. The mileage for
those living in the extreme western
part of the State amounts to in the
neighborhood of $50. The mileage will
average somewhere about $35 for each
person, making total expenditure OF
approximately $6,000.
An important item in the way OF ex-
pense is the per diem drawn by the
clerks, of which there is big. force
it being their important duty to keep
straight the transactions of the law
makers. There are about forty clerks
and stenographers in the House and
Senate, drawing 81 per day and milage
making total outlay of approximate
y $1,000. Thirty-nine laborers IN
the House and Senate draw $3.50 pei
day, making total of about $4,000
IWenty-four pages draw one dollar
oay,making total Of about 81 800. The
printing of the laws, the furnishing OF
stationery, the printing of bills for the
study of the lawmakers, and the print
ing of the House and Senate Journals
IN which is kept the proceedings OF
Dcth branches of the Legislature, il
Dy no means a trifing matter, for the
ldbors and laws of the lawmakers
would be of no avail were they moi
put IN printed form. Many OF the
DllIs introduced are ordered printed
lot distribution for the information o.
the lawmakers and the public. They
are scattered around and carefully
read by some, when the bills are o.
State-Wide Importance, in order tina
tne contents may be known by all in
terested when the bill comes up fol
discussion before the committee tx
which it is referred and when debated
on the floors of the House and Senate
IN the event the committee does no
lay 1t out on the cooling board" SO t.
speak, for they are some times
chloroformed: don't he mistaken abou