New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-11-08
More about Constraetive Mileage.
correspondence Of The Tribune.


More aboni Construetive Mileage.
correspondence Of The Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Nov. ls49.
Npe-tin,city In the reitoration Of an error wOul1
,pt..u,e il truth, the advocates OF constructive
.lsage woUli most assuredly, ia the end
vsmph over the plain letter ard spirit Of the law
.a defeat all attempts 10 correct the most fragrant
base in the expenditure Of the public monies
YOU have noticed the language Of the Un,oq
sbo vas frat y volunteer 10 the service Of tao
,scpients Of constructive mileage, as well as tht;
d correspondents enj other papers who have
Isen theif cue from the CEioH, you y III have
Nceived tbst they place their qualification OF the
&c. upon the assumed ground Of "gefe'oi Pr1c
no / have already denied that such practice
,.sted, aud tina. position / shall endesvor 10 main
,,ia. fiist examining every act Of Congress tina,
10 ever been passed upon the subject have
teen admooisbed thst, by pursuing an invesiiea'
ion Of this matter, was venturlng upon slippery
gound, as both political parties stood equally
ealpsbe upon the records Of the Senate With
lie consequences | have nothing TO do. 1t Is
tgsinst an Unauthorized appropriation OF the pub
lie funds that cOnterd. aud not against Senators
o. either SIDE personally. 1t IA with view o.
SEEING meritOrIOus, upright aud ieari' SO account
Bg officer sustained by the people aud the Press
hguarding the public Golfers Of the nation BY
dghteOus decision be has made, that have gwen
he subj. Ct matter a thorough investigation and
not Tor Any vain or selfish purposes of my own IL
he il right, the country should uphold snd appaud
him : II he is wrong, h" should abandon tho con
,,uctio1 he has given t. the lax Of the lard, pure
and dsinteres,ed ne were the motives th7t led
him % the conc lusi0n TO which be- came. Let as
now look NJ Tho several Acts cf Congress from
lfs9 down 70 1919. which il the law nov 10 force
md see what nre their provisions In relation 10
tie per diem aud mileage OF membeisO Congress.
Tne frst sct OF Compress whl,h was approved,
Sept p, 1889, A vo!. L 81. page 7Oj fixing the
compensatiOn 81 Senators, &c. PROVIDES: " That
,he members thereof shall receive 50 for every
lay he shall sttend the Senate, ana shall also be
slowed at the commencement and end Of every
rch session and meeting, So for every 20 miles
Of the csttmdfCd dtsi0Hcc by me mast usual ROAD
rom his place Of residence g. TIE seat ~ Con
grss To this section is q 2roviso. which 70 2
previous letter, have set out rerb7ftm. THIS sc'
zas 10 be Ia force until the All dayot March l95.
The sec0ad act OF Congress upon the same aub-
jsct was approved March no. 1890, n ypi. u : H..
page 44sl md Is virtual trsnscri?tot the previous
sct containing the Same Prov's', aud using tie
same lsugusse ne to mileage, w " me csftDtUcd
The fhird act OF Congress, pti ctng the qaef-
Ton If Mileage. was approved July 1927. Il v1i
I. :. L psse 533) sod as 10 is very short and has
an important bearing Upos the whole question tG-
VOWED in the issue, viii set IL o1t At large. II
Is in these words 90" he 10 enacted. S'. That al
the present extraordinary meeting AMI session OF
Cougress. the spectlve emOcrs OF the Senate
md House of Representatives shall be entitled 70
receive A run ALLOWANCE OF MILEAGE, any
10 fHa r.afk . lefa Nffr -
power existed under the acts OF 1889 and 1896 that
now contonded for ~ the advocates oi construc.
tive mileage, aud under the exercise OF similar
power embodied la the law now in force they are
aOw receiving constructive mileage, whence the
necessity, would inquire, for the passage OF a
special act In 1897 granting "JW oHoUaHce Of
Me1ge' 10 nee bers, amy Law 10 the contrary
DOT outstanding ?" To me il appears plain that
this asst act would have been wholly supeIhnous
It tho previous provisions of law permitted the
prsctse now coutcndc Tor
The fatrth act was approved March I'D, 1916
Sd vol U. s l.. page 2i7,) altering the compensa-
hon Of Members sud Senators from n per dlem 20
"a annual salary Of 81 500. This act wss repealed
BY subsequent one, approved the 9th Of Febru-
ny, lsl3, It'd vol. 4. ;. l. page 345.l contaioir2
the iol owing proviso; That nothing herciu con
tanned shall be construed to revive any act or acts
or pats OF acts. repeated suspended by the act
hereby repeoie8.'
The lsst act adopted by Congress establishing
the per diem and mica of members Of the two
houses, was approved Jan. %, ISIS @ vol L. 5. l.
page 4Oil. aud Is the law st,il IN force, aDd by ar
tue OF which Vice President Dallas estst ,sbed
the precedent in ls45 for the frN time. n, .,l,Iy
ing constructive milesee 20 Senstor' a, an extra
session OF the sensto, converting r. day after the
adjournment Of the regular seV an Aitboush in
Tho very language Of the p. .yjou, acts which |
nave alresty referred 60. ~ I, obvis;e every i'm.
SSs"'U" o. uhieHaess, will quote Us words,
\, % are as 'oi'S"s' last after the third day OF
s'"' III tne year oJc thousand oigh, hundred
$40 so'o-teen' esc'i Senator shall be ent!tled 81
~ 80 e'sut coiis,s for every day he hiss attend
w W " s"N' N'shfi the Senate, and shall also be
60. SE"t ollars tor every twenty mites OF
asst dHce b. me most usual ROAD from his
~ 50 " der &c to the seat Of Government, &c
.uM eur rsCes sll the legislation that has ever
We" "Ad mon the subject Of compensation L
~ ,,e's q Congress, from tho organization
~ we've enmsnt down d the present dsy' 40,
entity eoataiUs all the power thht can o
ut in support ot the measure " hen has pee
y .udiaiod by the decision ct the LAT C"n'fo'!er "
.he Tr,asurV. In my next letter, VIII examine
,hs ,,,c,,c, under these various acts Ol Congtess
and enJesvor TO demonstrate, from sreiefSheS $
the scti,n Of the Senate itsei, that Tor period
uou. ard cf ffty wears. ard down to ls4o lnHt@S'
xss never cSimed by ar allowed 20 msm"eIs ~
tenaing an extra session where the usNei 4
no, GciuaHy performed, aud s,so 10 slo" taA' WI
computation OF milesee by the csrcaitoUs meAnosr
Ing OF rivers rather than by toe most ASIA! road
4. an inn, walton thst has no jastlh cation bur IN
nrs,t.cs y hich by degrees has been Sinked q
and eountenaucsd. 10 speaking from tho recor
mon ali these Qucstions, some strange and sing
lar developments will follow. AlFSA.
Removals ard Appointments at washiosto'
Correspondunes CT The frituns
WASHINGTON, Nov 6. 1919.
lwro.e yoa some days siDce would be Il
.ss. the removal Of Peter q. Ws'h'os'oa vi
Yesterday officially announced Nj W adds"
North Csrolps declining TIE appointment MI sS'''.
of Pennsylvania an TX member OF Congress sHN
ssu,lemsp Of high stan ling Sod unqaesuoiel s'''
"a. .sse,ed 90 Mr. wsshlngtons successor he Z"
rather delicate hesth ba, no, much soAs 10 in'ets
With the prompt and faithful di'e6srss OF the eu"s
ais sfhce | have seldom seen more sFsun''"
expressed BY both Wings and Loees Al 'he r'i"o'
Of an ossa holier thar IN the oase q Washington
Politically, be might Ia csssed "a one OF 'ho'e HV
de.erip,s who make 1t convenient s'wsy' TO eoi's1
N opinion with the party that happen. 10 De N % ~
and who eonseQus nty never Cpl y 'ne C,nne 'g
either eide Tn. day has arrived, trust Weeo sn :.
time servers will 6nd no coansensuee Win e''aT'
ooe aide or the other. .,., -,