Copeland's Letter

A few weeks ago U. S. Senator Royal S. Copeland of New York wrote a letter to his friends. He invited them to subscribe to stock in a new corporation in which he is interested. Said he in the letter: "Naturally it will add to my happiness if my friends are stockholders. That will make it a family party." But one of these letters was presented by a stock salesman to a man who had never met the Senator. He resented the letter, especially because it was written on the stationery of the U. S. Senate.

The irate citizen gave the letter to the Press. The Press pursued the Senator into far Vermont, where he was visiting. "Oh, yes," said he, "that is true. I have become connected with the General Packing Co. and have written some letters recommending it to some of my friends. I regard it as a very good thing. They are making fruit concentrates. I've looked into it and it seems to be a very good thing."

Asked about the stationery, he replied: "I never thought about that at all. Anyway, I pay for the stationery, so it's perfectly all right, absolutely legitimate and correct in every way."

Every Senator has a yearly allowance for $125 worth of stationery from the Capitol stationery room. There he gets paper, envelopes, pens, etc. (formerly also whisky flasks, whisky glasses, clocks, percolators, etc). If he uses more than $125 worth, the over amount is taken from his salary; if he uses less, the balance of his allowance is remitted to him in cash at the end of the year. Few Senators use this entire allowance.