The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-08-16
The Increase of Pay.

lHe OonbTcSS WHICH HAS just auJouTn-
ed managed with that high parliament
tary art which is so mysterious to the
uninitiated and so simple to those who
understand it, (and which is as difficult
to explain on paper as piece of ma
chinery without diagram), to attach
the proposition to advance the salaries
Of Congressman to five thousand dollars
per annum to the bill equalizing SOL
diers' bounties, as it is called.
In the first place, it was a neat thing
for Congressman to get into good CON-
pany, and the veterans to whom bouL'
ties we're to be voted, with the purpose
of equalizing them, were those who en-
listed for three years in the flush times
Of the war without bounty. Now, our
sagacious Congressman could not any
way in the world avoid increasing their
own salaries without voting against the
soldiers bouuties. Therefore, they
patriotically put the twin meas ure
through, the pecuniary effect of which
is to pay each member of Congress
$1,000 more than he agreed to serve for,
aud to each three years veteran who en-
listed without bounty, 500. The in
ference is fair that as each Congressman
takes forty times the amount for two
years that he gives the veteran soldier
for three, that he estimates the compar-
ative value Of their services in that pro-
portion.
The New York Tribune pronounces
the course of Congress upon this matter
"a very uuwise, selfish, cowardly and
unprincipled act. 1t was unwise, be-
cause there are not five men in the two
Houses who would have dared, when
candidates for their present positions, to
declare that if elected, they would seek
and vote to raise their own pay from
$4,000 to $4,000 each per Congress-
1t was selfish for the members must
have known, that in SO acting and vot.
ing, they were embarrassing and damag.
ing the public cause, which they pro-
fess to have at heart, in their greedy
lust of private gain. 1t was unprinci,
pied tor functionarics entrusted with
power over their own recompense should
therein set an example of moderation
in order that they may be in position tc
resist steruly and efficiently the rapacity
Of other would.be leeches on the body
polite. 1t was cowardly; for they dit
not venture to enact this increase of pay
in distinct bill, and let the yeas ant
nays be taken and recorded thereon
but sneaked it into the tail end of al
appropriation bill, and juggled it thro
by the machinery of a Conference Com
mittee, after the House had voted i
down by l25 to three. 1t was vcr,
mean performance, and we hope to Sc,
it repealed at the next session. 1t vii
be, if the people only take the matte
in hand and ask every candidate for til
next Congress, Sir, will you vote t
put the pay Of members back to So, ,OO'
per annum, and have all mileage charg
ed by the most direct mail route !? "
"Eyen if an increase Of pay had bee
just-as it is not-the bill should hav
provided that every member absen
from his seat should forfeit at least 50
per day and $40 for every time the yea
and nays are taken and his name nc
recorded. Absenteeism is crying an
growing evil, Half the members ar
absent half the time. When such al
/ sence is totally without excuse, the
pretend to deduct $3.50 per day for
(Which Is about one. fourth what the
have just voted days service to b
WORTH but this forfeit is rarely exact
ed. The absentee pretends to hav
|; sickness in his family, or makes (to hin
self some other excuse for taking fror
the Treasury money which he has neve
, earned, and to which he is not entitle
, by law.
4" If members choose to vote then
selves full 81, 900 per month (over 81
per working day. for their services, the
ought to abolish the franking privilege
dismiss three .fourths of their we'll pai
satellites, and reduce the mileage to tel
; cents per mile by the shortest maj
route. But they make no show of deaI
ing honestly with the public. Some o