The New York herald., 1873-12-11

keep them from temptation, was unwise;
but Others thought differently: while ! was
speaker there were Treasury offlcials IN custom
houses who were receiving more than 100000
| for their services. The figures nave at my COM
mand. could get no hearing here on
measure OF equalizing their compensation with
| that OF those on whose Judgment as appraisers
lection OF the revenues depended and who
! could get but $1,000 for their services.
The reasons thai then urged are the reasons that
now urge me to the undoing OF everything we then
did just as far as the constitution OF the United
nose w PERM. u.s. are % & meet we
the public expectations OF to-day or the fair ana
honest judgments OF the future on our acts We
must undo all that we did then, as far as the con-
stitution of the United States will permit it. de-
sired simply to make tha. statement, as the reason
which WIN govern all the votes that shall give
here on the various measures. There was no more
reason why we should raise the salaries OF the
others mentioned in the bill than there was why
We should raise our own. The constitution OF the
United States has wisely guarded the Executive
ay ss on aha hS ah sasry
the Executive, because we know that any thing
tens we 40 cannot pa1 reach The present Executive he
VINO never sought that place as position
for the attainment OF wealth; but we have
together with the perqusites OF the o1ice. nigh
that hereafter when ne shall have left that place,
Office IN Its gilt is position for the attainment or
wealth. II we leave the matter there, contenftng
tion is confined to the fact that it touches our own
salary, we misjudge With the 100000 salary
J Inefe are perqulS1te8 allowed which vary very
little every year from 35O0O0-sometimes above and
| sometimes below that figure SO that we leave the
Presidents offlce hereafter with compensation OF
$4OO, 600 attached 10 It for the term: and submit
that, when we can do 1t without our motives being
impugned when we stand 30 far from any person
| whom 1t can affect, and when we can do 1T under
circumstances that nobody can say it Is reflection
! upon him, IL is our duty to meet that question,
salaries OF the Judges OF the supreme Court
| were only two years before that, made $4,000
O year Dy the addition OF $2OOO and with pen
there was no proprlety, IN my opinion, after hav-
ing nxed their salaries At 81, 900 and pension for
lie, to have added $40 o more to them. But that
| IS covered by the constitution The Cabinet OIL
GERS had also 1000 year. and their salaries were
| people understand that measure, which. when
passed, not only embraced our own compensation
put all the others in like position. 1t
| did so while there were other officers
Of the as%andg nae e;n% Gum
mpensation should be increased. But we turned
deaf ear to them. wish to call the attention or
the House to another feature in the bill of the
majority which never was in any other compen-
sation bill. Hitherto, the salary OF the President
OF the Senate and OF the Speaker OF the House
| Just double the compensation OF a member up TO
| the last increase in 1885, BY that last increase,
instead OF being made $4,000, double the c0mpen-
satlOn OF members, 1t was put at SS,000 which was
the compensation OF members OF the Cabinet
Now IN this bill it is proposed to bring down the
salary of the President Of the Senate and the
Speaker OF the House 70 $4,000 and leave that Of
members oftne Cabmet at $4,000. They are thus
tion was fixed up to this time, and while
hold that 1T should remain at $4,000 hold
also that the salary Of members OF the Cabinet
should be brought down to the same figure 1t is
Just as easy for ms to pass such Dill SO lar as the
biz reported BY this 1t Is no Sound
| argument and no answer to make to the people OF
the country, that we have only time to do this par
tlal measure We have ample time. We have
time enough to do it; and tell the people
Of the country that unless it is done in this
bill 1t never WIN be DONE The attempt
| to put through this bill, SO circumScrbed, is an
attempt do not mean to say that 1t was designed
try Will read it, and will have right so to read
Ito shield the remainder OF the officers en-
ductIon OF their compensation. In the present
| crisis, and under the present burdens OF the
people, with the revenues OF the country falling
Off, and with your committees charged with the un-
| pleasant duties OF looking around among the In
| dustries OF the country TO see where some new
taxes can be imposed to meet the current expenses
| OF the government, you have got to answer for it
| to the people why you do not undo wnat you con-
| less here 1t was unwise for you TO do.
| Mr. HALE. (rep) OF N. VI ask the gentleman
from Massachusetts,, as the leader OF the House and
House, whether, IN his Judgment leaving the voice
OF the people aside for the moment and on his oath
Of $4,000 a year an inordinate or extravagant
salary, either Tor the head OF department or for
| Judge Of the Supreme C0urtP
Mr.. DAwEs-ln country which prides itself on
its simplicity OF manners and OF institutions, in
country where no place ought to be sought In the
| gilt OF the people for the money 1t confers say
| to my friend from New York, what he will find in
the records OF two years ago. that believe IL VIII
| be sorry day for this country when we put such
compensation to our offices that they will be sought
Tor the money tney will bring, and say therefore,
that 1t is better for every one OF these men tnat
their compensation shall be what 1t was before the
passage OF the law OF 1s73
Mr.. MAYNARD-I ask the gentleman from
Massachusetts whether he does or does not
think it would be a sorry day for this country when
man would be constrained to decline an ONCE
rendered to him. either on the Supreme Bench or
any other place, because the salary OF the office is
insufficient TO support him?
r IA
men OF the country who can be bought by the
money Of an office had better decline IT in the be-
Mr.. MAYNARD-The gentleman has failed to un-
derstand the point OF my inquiry for he certainly
think it would be public calamity when man.
suitable and fitted and called to an Office would
be compelled to decline 1t because the cOmpensa-
tlon was insufficient to support himS
Mr.. DAwEs-Witn all frankness say 1t would be.
M While e. you may have, here and there, 10 the ts long
want to know OF my friend from Tennessee
whether he would not think It calamity TO have
them2
Mr.. MAYNARD-undoubtedly and, therefore, 1
want TO see what would be adequate salaries.
Mr.. G. F. HoAR, (rep.) OF Mass.-My colleagues
statement in reference to the Presidents perqui
sites will undoubtedly attract attention through
out the country. He has stated that the perqusites
Of the Presidents office amount, on an average, to
$50, 900 year, making the salary and perquisites
for single term 100000. Now wish TO ask him
how he makes out that sum
MI. ES-l HaVe uOuc just tius-i nave tdktu
from the appropriation bills the sums appropr-
ated for the Presidents household and his house
just what would be expended by any other officer
who has his own house; not the cost OF the house,
but the yearly appropriations for carrying II on
and keeping 1t in order and repairs.
Mr.. G. f. HOAR-Is it not for maintaining the
state In that house which pertains to the receptions
and other expenses OF the office
Mr.. DAwEs-They are the sums which the Presi-
dent, II he were put on footing with other OFF,
ciais, would be obliged TO pay out OF his own In
come.
Mr.. G. r. HoAR--If he did not have it appropr-
ated he would not spend 1t; that is the whole OF It.
MIR. Dawes 20 minutes here expired.
Mr.. MARSHALL, (dem.) OF ILL.,, favored the repeal
OF the Salary bill. lie believed that that was very
unfortunate measure; unfortunate because 1t had
shaken the confidence OF the country in their pub
lie servants to great extent and mad shaken the
confidence OF the country In some Of the best men
occupying seats in either house. II he had voted
for that measure last session he would still believe
II ought to be repealed, because on question of