Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-07-17
on the 22d of Sept, 1889, the pay was
determined by law"

March 10Th, 1916, an act was approved
changing the compensation from SIX dol
lars per day and mileage at the rate OF
eight dollars for every twenty miles OF
travel going to and returning from the
capital, to salary of 81, 500 per annum
with mileage as before, and applying it to
the Congress which made the enactment.
Feb. G. 1917, an act was passed repeal
ing all former laws on the subject. This
made necessary new legislation by the
next Congress, and the 22d day of jan
uary, 1918, an act was passed providing
compensation at the rate of eight dollars
per day, and eight dollars for each TWEEN
ty miles of travel, going to and returning
from Washington.
On the 10Th day of August, 1856, an
act was passed which repealed the per
diem pay and allowed a salary of $4,000
pei annllm with mileage as before, ana
the third section made the act applicable
to the Congress which passed it. The
17th section of an act approved July
2Sth, 1866, fixed the pay at $4,000 per
annum, ito be computed from the first
dav of the present Congress-" the mile
age to he fixed at four dollars for every
twenty miles necessary travel-one half
the former allowance. This act related
back nearly year and half, and gave to
members us much "back pay" as the act
of 1873, to some a great deal more, rs the
reduction in mileage did not take effect
until the beginning of the succeeding
Congress.
And what is true of Congress is true of
legislative bodies generally. They all
fix their own pay and believe it is true
that no increase of salaries was ever
made by any Legislative. body in this
county, that did not apply to the body
J which passed the law. In the nature OF
the case, the change must begin with
the Congress or Legislature then in exis-
tence If salaries were decreased, shall
l Congress be mean enough to apply the
law to a succeeding Congress and not to
e itself. And if so. how long would il
bind the succeeding Congress? And il
!: salaries are increased, shall a Congress
i be mean enough to say that the services
!, of those who are going out are not worth
4 as much, as will be the services of those
who happen to have been reelected L
! the next Congress.
: The only real question IS, whether O.
S not compensation has been fixed at more
than reasonable amount. | will mo-
/ argue the question, ! will only state tha
+ a member Of Congress ought to be abl
G to devote his whole time to his dutie
I as legislator; he Onght not to bt
II Obliged to engage in the practice of Law
o or any other profession or business b.
5 which MS best thoughts will be abstract
7 cd from his public duties. During va
L catious he should have time to study dill
= genly the great lessons of craftsmanship
e and the great subjects which must com
lie before Congress. He should also
able to make himself thoroughly az
u ouainted with all parts of the country y
al actual travel and observation, that h
is may know aud properly discharge hi
u duties. During the sessions his cnol
II nous correspondence his department;
:; business for constituents, his commttC
l. labors. and the hours of the session, wi
rs require from fourteen to sixteen houl
Is every week tlav, often more than tina
he These are his duties, and if he propcrl
o. performs them, maintains his family, an
saves one Thousand dollars per year fro
his pay as now fixed, it will only be |
ss practice of close economy. Perhaps 1t
too much but it is now no better oih'
pecuniariy than county offices general
700 in the State of Indiana in counties ha
ise ise ing population of 25,000 and upward
400 believe that the sober second thougi
= of the people will pronounce that the 81
%. arv is not now too high, and that a cor
ne pensation which with care and pruden
IN will leave small surplus at the ye;tl
IT, end, is better for the country and satt
nd than for Senators and Representatives.
,r- be obliged to consider the ways al
yer means whereby their families may
nd supported without increased burden
ne debt at the end of the Congress, and wi
)e- the harrassing thought ever present, til
,el when their constituents choose others
lat represent them, they will be little poo
al er for their years of public service.
he
lly THE EXPENSE To THE GOVERNMENT A.
IN BURDEN TO THE PEOPLE.
uit For the next and future Congress
va what is the expense and burden? L
n0 increase, as have shown, does not {
ho ceed one thousand dollars per annum
Do each Senator and Representative. The
~ ~ are "a Senators, and there will be in
nn- Ill. next House 292 Representatives maxi
tao ,t,o altogether $3.50, thus adding to the eXper
'''o of Congress as compared with the {
flaw $366,090 per annum, or nine-tent
, of n cent for each one of our 40,000,00O
people But the back pay" is the cru
ing burden and expense Let us figur,
exactly as it is There were "A Senate
re- and 242 Representatives-in all,
re members in the AID Congress. The ;
let erage increase for each OF the two years
the Congress was less than $4,000. | COT
ers the whole amount received because
ted Franking Privilege was not yet repeal
nu- and will suppose that $4,000 was
10. average additional pay to each mem
lin for each OF the two years, though it v
use actually less. This makes an expense
is a the government Of 1882, 900 per amt
to and burden on the people of one c.
tact and half each, for the two years, th
IN cents
n And even this statement is great
the aggeration of the burden, for no law '
and passed increasing taxation; hence
ess. people will pay no more taxes to the g
the ernment than they would have paid
SO this enactment never peen made,
ion the only effect it can have will be to r
q 1t long the final payment of the pul
ton debt about three days ;and in the meant
ach the interest on the three cents at five
ach six per cent is really all the burden
dbl rests on each of the people because
IN this legislation. Fifteen one hundre