Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1868-02-12

aper, from TIE NORTH BRANCH DEM
UCRAT to WYOMING DEMOCRAT.
Pay of the Members of the Legislature.
The compensation Of the members of the
Penns ylvauia Legislature is so wrapped
up in mystery that it may be doubted
whether any person can state the precise
sum, even after a minute investigation of
the subject The last Legislature though
ravenous after the public money, did not
dare to pass any general law increasing
the pay OF the members, but concealed their
attack upon the public treasury under the
clauses OF the general appropriation bill
By the acts Of May 7, 1885, and April 81,
1853, the Members of the Legislature are
entitled to receive a salary of seven hund-
red dollars, twenty five dollars for station
cry, newspapers and lights, and fifteen cts.
per mile circular in going to and returning
from the session,the Speaker Of the respec-
tive houses obtaining one dollar per day
additional compensation. In case Of non
excused absence four dollars per day is to
be deducted, and no greater or other COM
pensation or allowance than that provided
by the act can be voted By either house to
any members for services.
Such was tie state Of the law at the
end of 1866, but the Legislature of 1867
thinking that their invaluable services cod
not be too highly compensated, provided
In the appropriation bill, that each member
should receive three hundred dollars in al.
diton to their present salary. The pay Of
each legislator, therefore, amounted 10 one
Thousand dollars. BY another section in
serted between the appropriation for pay
ing St. Pauls Methodist Church for the
use of tents and the appropriation for re-
newing the meridian line of Dauphin Co,
the State Treasurer is authorized to paw
the necessary expenses, Including clerk
hire of the select committees but the
payment Of any sum Of money to any
member OF any select committee for bis
services, or the payment of any expense
accruing after the adjournment Of the Leg
islature, is prohibnej, Keeping under
consideration the above condensed state
mentof tie law, made after a minute and
thorough examination, and believed 10 be
strictly accurate, the necessity OF the rcso-
luton offered by Dir. John 5. Mann, of
Potter County, and adopted hy the House,
is sufficiently apparent, The resolution re
quests the Auditor General TO make up
"his next annual report 30 as to show the
''gross sum paid for extra copies OF every
"report or document ordered by resolution
"of either Honse, ana so as to show the
whole sum pad to every special commit
''tee Of each Hcnse, and the amount paid
"to each person connected with said COM
! "mittee."
| This is not sufficient, however a mere
request from one branch of the Legislature
has no binding eff,:ct upon the Auditor.
General. 4 law should be passed by both
! Houses requiring the report to be made
out so as to show the whole sum paid for
every document and to every committee
A request for the Encouragement of the
items of the Auditor Generals Report for
! 1867 would be advisable, aud it is to be
hoped that Mr.. Mann viii procure the in
formation, particularly as to the expense Of
! the printed documents. Some information
| however, as TO the special committees and
other matters, can be obtained from the
published report for 1867 the payments
made in certain cases are, undoubtedly,
contrary to law. unless the wise provisions
cited above have been repealed.
The act OF 1865. unrepealed except as
to the section fixing the pay at five hund-
red dollars, which was increased to seven
b,,n l,lln .,
tended to forbid the members from being
, paid any additional sum while serving on
committees, aud the sixtv-irst section of
the act of April IL, 1867, provided that
I"Ihis section shall not be construed to au-
/ thorizc the payment Of any sum Of money
/ to any member of the special committees
for his services, or OF any expense accruing
/ after the adjournment of the Legislature" :"
A comma is inserted after the word sarvic-
es, and the words "accruing after the ad-
iournment' refer clearly to expense and
not to services. Bat the committee
men have read the law so as to permit
them to receive pay for services before the
adjournment. Nine thousand six hundred
and ninety-four dollars double conpensa-
ton has been paid 10 the members of sew
en- special committees OF the House. The
accounts Of the Senate do not contain any
such scandaous items The above sum is
for pay alone. there being in addition, ex
penses, clerk hire, witness fees, service Of
subpPnas amounting to $3.50. Aud what
makes the matter worse is the conceament
of the expense, accidental or otherwise,
caused by charging the same committee
under different names. Thus we have a
committee in regard to charges in the
Pillsbury papers, session of 1866" and a
committee 80 investigate certain charges
in reference to the Allegheny County Lii
cense law both being the same body Of
men. Again, we have Committee to
investigate the alleged interest which of
ficers and directors Of railroads have in
transportation companies, TO which the
same remarks apply.
There is also payment TO Jacob Ken
nedy. member of the House, for extra ser
vices, three hundred dollars Whether
this is the increase Of compensation voted