The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-04-24
HON, M. N. WALDEN AND THE SAL
AIRY STEAL.

All of our readers are aware tna'
one of the last acts of Congress De-
fore adjournment, was to pass Ia"
for the increase of congressman
salaries. from 5000 to $1,000 pei
annum. and to make this act more
odious, it was made retroactive, and
made to apply to the salaries OF that
Congress for the two years previous
Every Iowa member opposed that
"steal," as it has been very proper
ly named, and there has been ICON
siderable speculation as to the dispo-
sition they would severally make OF
the amounts thus received. A few
DAYS since Auditor Ruan received
the following letter
CENTERvILLE, Iowa,
April 14th, 1878.
Auditor of Mahaska County,
Oskaloosa, Iowa.
DEAR R:-Herewith find draft on
New York for three hundred and fifty
dollars and thirty cents ($3503O). This
amount desire you to add to the School
Fund of Mahaska County, TO be apportlon-
ed among the several School Districts
there according to the number of persons
between the ages of five and twenty-one
wears. Please acknowledge receipt and
Oblige,
Your Obedient Servant,
NJ. NJ. WALDEN.
No further explanation followed
this, but we learn from other sources
that Mr.. Walden has thus disposed OF
his part of the s'steal," in a manner
by which the whole district will re-
ceive part. There are various opin-
ions on the subject some think Mr..
Walden should have left the money
in the Treasury, undrawn. In that
case it would lie there until some
other appropriation was made. 9th
ers think it should have been applied
on the discharge of the National
debt that is Objectionable, for the
reason that our District must stand
its proportion of the debt anyhow,
and as a majority of the eastern Con-
gressmen drew and pocketed their
salaries, we should not be called up.
on to help pay the bills of a constitu-
ency thus represented. Mr.. Walden
distributed that money to the school
funds of the twelve counties compos-
ing the old Fourth District, refu.
sing to receive cent of it himself,
but giving it to his constituency who
must help pay the extra expense in
CURED by that unjust bill. In
speaking of this matter the Keokuk
Gate City says:
Hon. M. M. Walden has distributed his
Congressional back pay among the coun-
ties OF his District TO be put in the school
fund. There were several hereabouts who
were inclined to urge Mr.. McCrary to
make some such use of his back pay as
this. The argument is that the people,
of Mr.. McCrary's or Mr.. Walden's District
have already borne their share of the tax
that raised the money to be put into the
treasury They pay their proportion oft
large part of the sum which has gone into
the pockets of the members from other
States 1t is claimed since they have to
stand this tax so far as all the others are
concerned, it is only fair that the part of it
which would belong to the member from
their district should be used so as to give
the people of the District the benefit OF it,"
The Register, and every other pa
per we have seen mention the fact,
endorse Mr.. Walden's action, except
the Ottumwa Courier. Remember
ing its former hatred of the man, no
one would cpect IL to say good word
for him, and none of his friends