Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-04-02

Mr. Thornhill said he hoped this bill
would not pass. If there exists a serious
intention on the part of the members o.
this House, to increase the per diem o.
members to greater sum than ever
allowed before, he hoped that they would
at least postpone It's consideration unit
next winter, in order to have time for more
cool reflection and to take the sense Of
their constituents upon a matter in which
they had a deep interest for they 1t is who
have to foot the bill which this increased
expenditure entails. -.
When the salaries. of the State Officers
were fixed at the ilrstSession under the new
COnsttution-your Governor and Judges
of the Supreme Court at $500 per annum
and the members pay at 81 per day, the
whole country rung with charges against
the Democratic party of extravaganza. I'm
der other rule than that of the Democratic
party, your Governor now gets $4,000 per
annum, your Supreme Judges $4,000, and
other State officers in like proportions
But few sessions since, in order to show
an economy which would tell with the
people, the Legislature reduced the pay
of members-mOt the pay of those who
voted for the reduction, but of the members
of the succeeding Legislature-to SO per
day, and there it has stood since that time.
Now it is proposed to give the next Legis-
hture So per day-two-iifths more than we
now receve-adding. taking the officers,
Clerks, Sergeants-at-Arms .,,near four
hundred dollars per day, Sundays in
cluded, to the amount the taxpayers of
Ohio will have to pay. He Mr.. ThOrnhilD
was utterly opposed to this-he saw no
good reason for the increase, but on the con .
trary many and good reasons why the act
should not be cOnsummated. The people
of Ohio found themselves at the close of the
war, so taxed that they begin to think that
he is the richest, who has nothing that the
tax gatherers can lay h inds upon. The re-
dundant currency, which so inflated prices
during the war; fast stdisappearing,an with
its Disappearance comes tumhling down
of prices. B fore we meet here again in
the extra session you have ordered, the
taxes will he increased, while the price of
the farmers produce is diminished, and yet
you are about to add forty per cent. to the
pay of members. when, in all probability,
judging by the signs which fOreshadOw the
coming of hard times, the price of living in
Columbus will be reduced in money an
equal ratio.
Under the three dollar per diem law,
has there been any lack of men willing to
take upon themselves the task of legislating
for OHIO?
He (Mr. ThornhilD has seen none. The
pay now was sufficient to support the mem
bers in decency aud in comfort. The gentle
man from Hamilton Mr.. Gaddis) asks me
how much money | will make this winter
at SO per day? | answer him that have
made none. / did not come here to make
money. All | expected was to come out
about even, and this | have done. Some
gentlemen complain that the amount re-
ceived will not pay expenses. Perhaps not,
but if these gentlemen would stay in their
rooms of an evening, and refrain from visit
7 ing places of amusement, where the days
pay is lost or spent in a few moments,
they would find that So per day was
sufficient for their support at first class
hotels. He (Mr. ThOrnhilD has found it
so, for he was able to pay his bolrd,
washing, shaving and other bills. and
found 50 per day more than sufficient.
Why, then, this hot haste to give our
successors So per dav, when, as | have
shown, we can live in Columbus, and live
well-better than any of us live at home
on three dollars? Ii this sum is sufficient
now, it will be more so in the future, for
the price OF living is decreasing-the price
of labor falls with it-while the taxes of
the people, state ana NatlOnal, are lncreaS-
ing. Ifthis fact is doubted, let members con-
sent to postpone this bill until next winter;
in the meantime get the views of their tax
ridden constituents upon it, and then pass
it if you choose-a thing, my word for it,
yOu will not do.
Just emerging from prolonged war-the
most desperate and well fought the world
has ever seen--the land filled with men
shorn of limbS--the country paralyzed with
vast debt, that no living man will ever see
paid. the Interest on which in one year is
greater than the entire debt Of the United
States at any one time from the RevOlu-
tiOn down t. the time when the party in
power took the reins of Government, is
this proper time to 20 into additional ex-
penditures to raise the per diem of mem
bers forty per cent? I think not, and
hence nv vote will be recorded against it.