The law provides that a Congressman shall be paid a salary of $5,000 per year; and in order that the compensation shall be equal, among members, the Government pays their traveling expenses. Otherwise the Representative who comes from the Pacific coast to the Capital, paying his way, would realize very much less on his salary than a Representative from Maryland or Virginia.
The cost of travel was greater in the olden days than now, and the free pass had not then become one of the devil’s favorite inventions. Consequently, the lawmakers declared that the taxpayers should furnish twenty cents per mile to meet the expenses of the Representative in going from his home to the post of duty.
Inasmuch as every member of Congress—occasional cranks excepted—now rides on the free passes, the mileage has become a considerable addition to the salary.
A member who lives west of the Mississippi will find his pay increased a sixth, or a fifth, according to the distance from the Atlantic seaboard; while the delegate who comes from Hawaii will pocket considerably more than $2,000 for the alleged cost of getting to Washington.
So far, good. Everybody knows that Congressmen do not pay their way, and everybody knows that mileage no longer has any honest foundation; but we’ve got used to the grab, and we let it go, as inevitable, with a weary sigh of hopeless disgust.
But the Congress which recently adjourned broke all previous records and gave the country a new chapter in the record of brazen dishonor.
Previous to the meeting of the regular session there had been an extra session. This held on till the regular session began. There was no interval between the two. So far as time was concerned, the one ran into the other. Hence, no member went home from the extra session and came back to the regular session.
There was absolutely no “recess” at all—not a minute between the one session and the other.
Now, behold the evil influence of a bad example.