Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-01-31
Spirit of the Press.
From the New York Tribuue.l
PLUMBER IN CONGRESS-


The subject of the increase of Congress
mems salaries to $4,000 came up in the
House incidentally last week. A faint at
tempt was made to suggest review of that
action, which was speedily hustled down.
The Chairman of the Judiciary Committee,
to which the question was referred, cOmpla-
Gently observed that, as Congress voted
the Increased compensation, il would of
course stand by it, and, therefore, any ac
ton on the subject by that Committee would
appear to be useless. BY others, the sub.
ject was turned into joke, the point Of
which was, that if il is proposed TO refund
the extra compensation, "dont You wish
you may get il z!
We suppose we may, without giving of
Tense, express our convictions on the abstract
subject of stealing We disclaim, of course,
on such delicate subject, all personal alltl-
sions. But this we say that when body
which has access TO the public treasury is
elected to serve given term at certain
rate of pay, they have no right because they
have access to the treasury, to help them
selves to more. If they do, they take from
their employers that to which they have no
claim. There is in the City of New York a
municipal body who are alleged to be noto-
rious public robbers. They are commonly
reported to be thieves and swindlcrs on
large scale. An American burns with indig
nation to hear il said that the foremost city
of the continent is in the hands of men who
would have been disgrace 10 Sod0m. What
do these men do! They simply help them
selves from the public treasury. They are
within reach Of the strong box, and they
stuff their pockets from il. They rob the
public
Now we should like to know where the
essential difference is between such a body
as we have imagined and the municipality Of
New York? Where is the difference in the
principle of their action Each votes itself
money from the public treasury. Each helps
itself to what il wants from an open public
chest, because il is open. Suppose we say
each takes as much as he dares Where,
then, is the difference in the criminality of
the transaction?
Now, what is the plain duty of Congress
in this matter of raising salaries Shall
Congress exercise no power over the pay of
Congress? Certainly. But not over its own
pay. If ii be said that the salary of mem
bers of Congress is insufficient let it be
turned over to a proper committee of the
body for investigation. If il shall be de-
termined that the compensation is made
quate, and should be increased, then let the
increase be applied to prospective service
to future Congresses only. This is the only
honorable and manly proceeding. 1t is the
only way the thing can be done without
scandalizing the whole body. Such an ex-
ample Of helter-skelter grab for extra pay as
was made by the members last session. such
a Sinking Of personal responsibility for a
dirty act, such lodging Of yeas and nays
on the vote, such attempts to retreat into the
dark to avoid cepsure for an act that would
not bear the light were a burning disgrace.
If the present Congress is too mean to do
anything but skulk on the subject, let that
which is to assemble on the 4th Of March
have the grace to enact promptly that no
future Congress shall raise their own pay.
If they will not do so much as that, we may
some day have Congress elected that may
conclude to take fifty thousand dollars a
five thousand On principle, the one act
would be just as deiensible as the other.