Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-05-17
HERALD OF THE TIMES.

than to lay the foundations OF system,
10 be followed up and completed hereai-
ter" by The People.
The prolonged sessions Of Congress
formed q conspicuous chapter III the
book of reform. The committee de-
nounced the usage as Zone OF the mos'
serious evils attending the national legs
laton of tho country )" and, by way oil
correcting il, recommended "that the
compensation Of the members, dur'ns
the first session Of each Congress, be
reduced to two dollars per day from and
after the first Monday in April, II Con
gress should sit beyond that time. ih's
was the preccpt now for the pract.ice'
The sessions Of Congress, so lar from
being shortened, have been prolonged,
no remedy applied, and the People oi
the country ought to know that the gen
tlcman from New York, (Mr. Cambre-
leng } 70 early as March, 1880, when
an attempt was made 10 carry into effect
the remedy proposed in the report oi the
committee Of which he was member,
by reducing the pay Of members, d'd
himself actually resist and vote aga'hs'
the measure. =,
The report alleged that abuses had
Haken place from the various and mr.
bitrary manner in which members esti-
mated their mloage." This abuse was
asce rtained TO have been practised ny
the reformers themselves and they
have continued the practice without any
restraint. ] will give you, sir, an Illus
tration, which may not be thought map
propriatc. In the days Of promised re-
form, the two Senators from the State
of Missouri differed in politics one OF
them, the great re(Ormcr, HIr. Benton
the other, MIR. Barton, who thought the
promised reform was mere humbug.-
The first session Of the twentieth Con-
gress CONNIE need the Sd of December,
1927, and ended on the eGth Of May,
1923. These gentlemen severally at
tended the whole session their per d.
EN- allowance was 81 400 each, being
l75 days, at SO per day but for mile
age, reckoning $3 for every twenty
miles, Mr.. Barton charged 1888 20,
whilst Mr.. Benton charged 81 344 GO.
Mr.. Barton charged his mileage ny the
great mail route, over land but Mr..
Benton, who was railing out and con-
dcmning all abuses, counted his miles
| by all the crooks and turns and tortuous
windings Of the Mississippi and Ohio
rivers Mr.. Barton was left at home
because he did not believe in the pro-
priety of protesting one thing and prac-
Using another; and MIR. Benton was
retained 10 correct abuses and carry out
the grent principles o: his report on Ex-
ecutive patronage. Ten years have in.
tervened since the session OF Congress
Just referred to; the report sleeps un-
needed, and in the mean time, MIR.
Benton continues 10 count his miles eve
ry year by the way Of the river, which
has given him upwards Of $4,000 more
than Mr.. Barton felt authorised to
charge under the same law.
.4nother prcecpt.-1he committee re-
ported that "the privilege ofnewsPapers
to the members ought to be abrog gated )"
and "that the practice too often induI-
ged in by the House Of voting to them
selves copies Of books" ought to be
discontinued. The privilege and prac-
tice continue, and without restraint.
Precept.-The contingent expenses
Of this House were reported TO be ex-
travagant. During the year 1928, the
last Of Mr.. Adams Administration, they
amounted to $50, 900.
Practice During the year 1886, the
last year of the jackson reform Admin.
istraiion, this item was 100000 |! And
during the year 1897, being the first
year Of the ''successor," who promised
to "trcad in the footsteps Of his illustri-
Gus predecessor" these expenses are
$4,000 This must be the "magi-
clans way" Of working in the rule Of re-
duction--it was certainly unknown to
old Thomas Dilworth.
Precept.-The committee, Of which,
l again repeat, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Combrcleng) was a member,
reported that they had obtained infor-
nation by which they were satisfied
"that by judicious system Of reform,
instituted by the Executive officers
themselves, at least one-ihird Of the
(then) present member Of clerks in the
depa,tm tmcnis might be reduced with safe
ty 10 the public interest,""
Practice. number Of clerks has
not been reduced in any one Of the de-
partments, but, on the contrary, there
has been n considerable increase. ]
will prove it. The State Department,
in the year 1923, included the Patent,
Oaice, and the whole number Of clerks
was sixteen the sulary and compensa-
ton Of the Secretary and all his clerks
and messengers, amounted to $27,750.
The whole number Of clerks now en-
ployed in the State Department and the
Patent Office is forty. The joint sa-
laries and compensation amount 10 $780,
515!!!
The Patent Office, 1928, was mana.
ged by a Superintendent, with salary
Of ST. 500, and two clerks and mes
senger, whose joint compensation was
S3,7OO. II is now under the charge Of
one Of the Reformcrs the title Of "Su-
porintendcnt' is exchanged for that Of
Commissioner - and with the change
oft titles comes the change Of salary from
81 800 to $1,000 The number OF
clerks is increased from two to twenty
four. md tho compe nsation from 81 800