The Rock Island daily Argus., 1873-03-18

named by the Vlce-Presldent, were all
men, who insisted that Sc, ,500l
was not enough, and would be less than /
the Pacific Coast Senators got already, |
with their mileage. The Conference
agreed to put another $1,000 on, making !
the salary 81, 500, and they restored But
ler's provision for the payment of actual
travelling expenses, and retained the re-
troactive clause, dating the increase back
to March 4, 1871. The President salary
aud those of the other officials they leIt rs
passed by the House The report was
made to the House on Monday morning;
March 8. 1t was vehemently denounced
bv Farnsworth and others, ana feebly de-
Tended on the ground that the Senators
wore sn stubborn that the House c0nterees
had 10 Weld for fear OF losing the bill
! The shameful retroactive clause did not
6nd a single apologist, either in this or in
any previous debate. Ii was vigorously
asSailed and denounced, but no one had
the hardihood to say a word in its favor
Everybody knew that it was bare faced
robbery Of the Treasury Of nearly mi
lion and half Of dollars bribe OF -
600 apiece to induce outgoing memocra ,r, %
! increase the pay of their succSsSors' NJ
provision doubling the lrcSiueh, ,N1'aIE
escaped with very little crltlclsh. NcI
orrsti,n of their own pay that they gave
small attention 10 the portions o' u'e h'u
relating ~ other officials.
FINAL TRIUMPH OF TUE JOB.
The Conference report was finally
adopted by the House by Yeas lob, Nays
'gl This was q fair test vote although
the high salary men, tricky to the last,
tried t. make it appear otherwise by false
N saving that the bill would be lost if the
report were rejected The effect nt reject
ing the report would have been to send
the bill TO new Conference Committee
which could have reported II back in au
hour with the salary amendment stricker
out. Every member who voted Ne;
must, therefore, be held 20 have favored
the salary grab, retroactive clause and all
II was late Sunday night before a vut
: was had in the Senate on adopting the re
. port The result was Yeas 3d. Nays y
b Tie Hill was signed by the President th
r same night Under the retroactive pro
e vision dating the increased pay u Con
F, -ressmen back two years, every mcmbe
. received 5000 as extra compensation tu
tINlttN Ail NAlt AM AN N'.li- lft''N 81 ''h
j. sum already drawn by him tor mileage
:, The amount of money taken from th
r Treasury for this purpose we cannot glE
! with accuracy, because we do not know IN
!. exact amount of mileage IN he deducted
q At moderate estimate 1t was 5 ,4oO,o)l
h NJ justification was attempted IN elthe
d. the Senate or the House for dating hac
h the increased salary 1t was So disgrace
D. ful proceeding that it admitted of nn dt
re- fensc The members Of Congress in u,
r. cepting their offices, agreed 10 serve tu
D. the salary provided by law. On the las
u day but one Of their term Of Office, the
.e voted themselves nearly 5000 apiece a
d additional pay. They had the power
ie do IT, and ARE amenahle 10 NJ punishment
1t except such as their constituents may pro
vide for them az the next election, hu
their conduct in a moral point of view
, very little better than that Of merchant
- clerk who should increase hi, salary b
= helping himself from his employers cas-
~ drawer
THE NEW sALAEIEs.
d The following table shows the new AZ
X uuaI salaries provided by the bill The II
IN creased >alarie, of the Speaker OF II
RI House and of all other officials took ette
1u on the 4th inst