Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-07-01
More Increase Of Salaries.


The Senate last week voted to increase tn
salaries of various functionaries at Washing
ton from $4,000 to $500 and variou
other officers had their salaries advanced tt
$4000,-what they were before did not ap
pear In the course of some debate upon TIL
proposed increase the telegraph says
Mr.. Edmunds opposed the amendment, a
invidiously discriminating against the lowe
grades of clerks while he expressed thu
opinion that the salaries, not only of thes'
gentlemen. but of senators Also are INSULT
Gent Many necessary increased expense.
we're entailed by position, and senators, who
had not private fortunes. were obliged to re-
sort to other occupations during the vacation
to get bare support
We are glad to find one Of our senators
opposing such measure, but VIC confess to
some surprise that his opposition should be
because the increase did not reach a greater
number of officials in other words, he was
IN favor of a general increase of salaries, but
opposed to this special measure.
N-,.~ Ss.s.-s- $780, - ----,--t;a,,z
offered by Mr.. Edmunds are similar to those
which now influence quite too many Of cur
r.,hIie .-.s--, and which are furnishing an ex-
cuse rather than reason for continually
depicting the treasury in the way of increase
of salaries. Mr. Edmunds saws the salaries
of senators are insufficient. They have now
$4,000 a year, besides mileage and this
mileage varies from $50 to $40 600, accord
ing to the distance reckoncd 1t is not i'm
possible that some senators find it difficult t.
har -Ioe L..
90 position . requires on such n salary Verv
likely Senator Sprague, of Rhode Island, finds
1t necessary to spend S25 900 or $4,000 a
year but this is mainly because he has it u
spend Style suited to - position " is by no
means fixed or we'll defined style. 1t varies
according to the tastes and habits of the in
dividual, as well as according to his purse.
No doubt senators find it as difficult to main
tain this appearance upon $4,000 annually.
as they did upon $4,000; and if the $4,000
were made $4,000. there would still be thou
sand wants and necessities Of :. position :
demanding other thousands.
We are sorry to see modern extravaganza
finding advocates and imitators in official life
What the nation now needs almost more than
any other one thing, is economy in every de-
partment of its affairs. The expenses of the
government have already become ruinouslv
large, through this same disposition to spend
the money of the people in maintaining the
position - Of public functiOnaries. Scna-
tors must have residences, mansions in Wash
ington, and dispense generous hnspitality
and this cannot he done without money and
therefore the federal treasury and the people
or the whiskey rins-must pay large sal
aries, that these officials may vie with each
other in handsome entertainments. Clerks.
auditors, and sundry minor officials, would
like to be as hospitable az senators, and there
fore their salaries must lie raised that they |
may be able to maintain their :. position. = /
And SO it goes, from President to tide-waiter /
each must have more salary or money for his /
services, in order that he may live in the
style suited to his 80 position
1t is easy to be generous with other pco-
pies money, especially when it is put in |
ones own pocket; and we have no doubt |
Congressman find it infinitely easier to per-
suade themselves that they must spend more |
of the peoples money, than they would if the
money was to come out of their own reserved |
capital But what evil would happen to the |
country if members of Congress would set an
example of economy in living? Is not the |
great danger of this age its extravagant style |
of living? Bank tellers must live in style, |
and they embezzle the moneys of the bank.
Treasurers of corporations must maintain
their position in society, and they steal the
funds of which they have charge Railroad
officers must spend large sums annually, and
IN some unaccountable way their roads earn
only enough to enable these officers to get
large salaries and much plumber, while the
poor stockholders take promises for dividends.
In every sphere in life, extravaganza, a de-
sire to live beyond ones means, is destroying
all virtue, and honesty, and integrity. And
our law makers, who should be an example
for us all, never lose opportunity to ad-
vance their own or some one else's salary, in
order to enable them to live up to the extrav-
agant notions of this generation. Unless
there is some pause in this mad rush, the gulf
of moral and financial bankruptcy for indi-
viduals and nations will be soon reached by
us all.