Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 December 1895 — CONGRESS OFFICERS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS OFFICERS.

DISTRIBUTION OF SENATE AND HOUSE PATRONAGE. Always a Lively Scramble for Places at the Beginning of Each New Session, When There Has Been a Change ®f Administration. Rewarding Party Fealty. Washington correspondence:

MORE than 200 anxious bread winners are interested in the outcome of the contest over the reorganization of the House at the begin- • ning of each new ;S|g\ session of Congress when there is a -AaBH change of administration, for that TO*®number of salaried positions are vacated bv the outgoing in■mwnm.yi' cumbents to be tilled Aby representatives of piFlf JJthe party coming in--ll** t 0 P° wer - The m inor *• patronage connected

with the offices of the sergeant-at-arms, clerk, doorkeepers, and postmaster ren- . der the contest for the elective positions Interesting, inasmuch as the representatives takiug part in the campaign expect to benefit by the result in providing for their customers. The majority of the positions included in the list of patronage at the disposal of the newly elected officials command lucrative salaries, and each Representative has a following of eager constituents anxious to fill the office and drew the emolument therefor. The clerk of the House does not have the largest amount of patronage at his disposal, but the respective offices in his department command the most attractive salaries. He himself draws $5,000 a year and Is required to give a bond of $20,000. His is a position of some honor and more responsibility. The clerk has forty-three employes under him, commanding aggregate salaries of $71,30S a year. His right-hand man, the chief clerk, draws $3,600 per annum. The e-.erk appoints the journal clerk and an assistant, who keep the official record of the proceedings of the House; two reading clerks, who, of late years, have been selected by competitive examinations, indicating their ability to read to the satisfaction of the House; a tally clerk, who keeps track of tho yea and nay votes, together with a number of minor officials. There is one salary of $3,000, four of $2,500 each, seven at $2,000 each, four at SI,BOO each, seven at $1,600, two at $1,400, two at $1,200, and ten at $720. He also appoints a carpenter, who earns about $2,500 at piece work.

The sergeant-at-arms gets a salary of $4,500, and is now compelled to furnish a bond of $50,000. His most important duty is to take charge of the disbursement of the salaries of the members, their mileage and other perquisites. He is supposed to be responsible for the good order in the House, to. preserve the peace among wquld-be belligerents, to prevent fights on the floor and to arrest absentees and bring them before the bar of the House when ordered to do so. The sor-geant-at-arms dispenses one salary of $3,000, two of $2,000, one of SI,BOO, one of $1,200, one of $720, and one of S6OO. lie also appoints one-third of the Capitol police, consisting of eight privates at $1,200, one lieutenant at SI,OOO, and two watchmen ut SI,OOO. The doorkeeper of the House is paid the smallest salary of all the elective officers, except the postmaster and chaplain, hut dispenses the largest amount of patronage. He draws $3,500 a year, and is not required to give a bond. His duties are defined by his title. He guards the doors to the floor and the galleries, appoints elevator men, pages and folders. Under him there are five positions at $2,000 each, one at SI,BOO, three at $1 - 500, one at $1,400, one at $1,314, sixteen at $1,200, nine at SI,OOO, fifteen at S9OO, five at SB4O, twenty-five at $720, ten at S6OO, and thirty-three pages ut SSO per month during the session. The postmaster attends to receiving and delivering the mail of the members slid to forwarding the public documents sent out from the Capitol. His salary is $2,500 and he is not required to give bond. Therefore no'sinecures in his office, for every man has to work hard. The postmaster appoints one clerk at $2,000, ten at $1,200, one at $720 and eight men during the session at SIOO a month each.

The chaplain of the House draws S9OO per year, in session and out, and has an easy berth. He is supposed to open the' House with prayer, and is not blamed if he makes it short. Sometimes the chaplain pays pastoral calls among the members of his flock during business hours, lingering after the House has assembled to chat with members. He never aims at his congregation in his prayer, although in times "of turbulence and great public excitement in the House he may try to invoke the spirit of peace and a blessing of wisdom upon the public councils. It is usual to elect a minister of the District of Columbia with a regular salary, for the emolument of the place is not large. The Speaker of the House has a bit of patronage at his own disposal. He is allowed one clerk at $2,350, one at $2,250, one at SI,OOO and a messenger at sl,000. The Speaker himself receives $3,000 in addition to his regular salary of $5,000 as a member for the added duties of the speakership. The Senate Officers.

The patronage of the Senate is much less than that of the House, but the positions are usually more secure. Some of the employes have been in their present positions for many years. “Old Man” Bassett, as he is called, has been in the service of the Senate a little over sixty years, and there is but one Senator, Mr. Morrill, who has been continuously in the Senate during the term of employment of Mr. Nixon, the financial clerk,, though he is still a young man. The Senate does not like repeated changes. There are but three elective officers—the secretary, the sergeant-at-armß, and the chaplain. The patronage, except committee clerkships, comes under the secretary and the sergeant-at-arms. The chapluin gets small pay and has no employes under him. The sergeant-at-arms has the appointment of the acting assistant doorkeeper of the Senate, the postmaster and his subordinates, the superintendent of the document room and his subordinates, the superintendent of the folding room and Jiis subordinates and the laborers, messengers and pages. This patronage is, in accordance with the custom of the State, apportioned according to a regular system among the Senators, the minority getting a certain proportion. This apportionment being fixed at the beginning of the Congress, is not changed in njiy respect. If a vacancy occurs the Senator who had the original appointment is called upon to name some one to fill it, and if his choice is not satisfactory he is called upon to make another. Efficiency is always exacted of the employe, and every Senator has enough friends to provide for to enable him ultimately to present the right sort of man. The clerks to the committees are appointed by the chairmen of the various committees and do not form a part of the Datronage under the elective officer*.