The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-23
The sO-calIed Repeal" Bill.
From the NY. World.

have been Haunting before the country }
since the beginning OF the session. IL
wonld he a strong presumption against the |
honesty of the bill that the course OF the
discussion unmasked Butler as its real
author. that its advC cacy was surrendered
into his hands at the final pinch when II
was nut on its passage, and that IN the APP
plauded speech by which it was carried ne
outdid even himself in unrestralned license
az abusive ribaldry. Men do not gather
grapes of thorns, nor tgs OF thlstles, nor
an honest repeal of the salary-grab from
the most unabashed and impudent OF all
its champions. A triumph of Butler on
this subject is triumph OF fraud, craft, ana
brazen effrontery,as will sufficiently appear
when we proceed to analyze the bill
The demonstrations of the House against |
the salary grab resemble that famous cam |
paigno Saul against the Amalekites which |
cost him his crown and kingdom. DE had
been commanded to smite without re-
morse, to utterly exterminate Agag and
all his subjects, to ''slay both man and wo- |
man. infant, and sucking, OK and sheep, |
camel and ass When he was returning
with the spared king in his train, and laden
with updestroyed booty, he was met by
the indignant prophet to whom he boosted
that he had performed the commandment
of the Lord. And Samuel said, What
meaneth then this bleating of the sheep
in mine ears, and this lowing Of the oxen
which / hear p, The incensed people
will meet Congress with similar inquiry
and call it to a swift reckoning for disobe'
dience to their mandate The House has
brought off Agag in safety, and is loaded
with forbidden spoils. .-
BY the bill which has been passed the
salary of members is reduced from $500
IN $4,000 a year, 10 take effect tchen the
Till shall become a idio As it must first
pass the Senate and receive the signature
of the President, it is not likely TO go into
effect before the end of January, teoUing
bit one month of he present Congressional
vear 10 lChich The reduction acW apply.
From the 4th of March, 1878, TO the 4th OF
March 1874, the pay Of members will be
as follows:
Eleven months at 1928 Sc, SIS
One month Mt $500. 500
Twelve months compensation. -. 81, 37j
The gain of the Treasury by this great
measure of reform which it has taken the
House three weeks to achieve, is 1925 tol
each MEMBER, las the following figures show
BY the original grab bill ..........$7,5 80,
BY the repeal bill. ............. 1871
Amount disgorged. .............. Sl2
The House has covered itself with pub
lie derision and disgust by this pitiful sc
quail to It's loud professions since the begin
ming of the session. The mountain afte
its protracted eontortions and yioleu
pains has brought forth--this TIL
House has passed u bill which reduces tn
pay for this year precisely IL per cent
Ii is the same in effect as if the House ha
passed bill levying an income tax of l
per cent. on the salary Of members for thi
year. and asked the country TO accept tina
as repeal of the salary grab During tn
war, when the cost OF living was niue
greater than it is at present, the member
paid an income tax of 5 per cent. on a ga
airy Of $1,000: and now on salary twiC
and u half as great they are willing
contribute the magnificent rate of II p,
cent, if they can be permitted to ket
the exhOrbitaut salary. What a miracle
honesty and public spirit The incident
expenses of the House while it has bee
engaged in this great act of restitutiC
must considerably exceed the amount
money they propose to relinquish, so TIL
the Treasury is made actually poorer
this sublime act of repentant virtue
Now, what is the amount of time al
service which the members render for Il
1873 at which they offer TO fix their So
aries for the present year? From the b
ginning of March to the beginning of d
cember mine months) nothing From d
cember 10 March they are in session thr
months, from which it would be fair to d
duct the time they have spent in this h
pocritical, proftless wrangle and also Il
holiday vacation, which would reduce Il
period of actual service to two month
But calling it three months, the rate
compensation for the time they serve
well on TO 100000 year The sum
$3.50 for the one-tOurth of year is
the rate Of 500, 500 year. The great
form which they have accomplished co
sists in reducing their compensation fro
the rate of $4,000 this year, which Il
original grab bill would have given thel
10 500, 800 a year, the rate fixed by ii
bill they have so magnanimousy passe
The bill requires no member who h
drawn and pocketed the back pay to r
turn it. A large majority of the membe
Of both Houses are in this category. III
sum total of the plumber over and abo,
the old salary of $1,000 realized by men
bers like Butler up TO the 4th of Marc
next will be as follows
Two years increase at 400 ................ $50
one year az S2,i,j....... ..........,... 2,3
Total grab for three years $40
The new bill leaves this barefaced swi