Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-04-23
The CHRONICLE.
THE CONGRESSIONAL SALARY IN.
CREASE.

ries. The writer says, Without pre-
tending to justify the increased rate OF
compensation, it may be we'll enough to
take Q sober second thought, ETC." The
writer then speaks of the provision OF
the Constitution relating to the pay of
4 Senators and Representatives, the mode
/ of enacting laws, ETC.. which no intelli-
gent person denies. We quote again:
Fixing it Compensatory at an exorb
liant rate would be the subject OF Just
censure on tie part of the peoples"
aThe people have. in the adoption of the
Constitution, clothed their Senators and
Representatives with the unqualified
right (power, he should have said) to do
what thew have DONE"
Now let us see whether the compensa-
tion as fixed by Congress is exorbitsnt
or not:
This year the session Of Congress was
three months ninety days. Now, for
these ninety days they get $40. 600 with
out deducting mileage-about 81, 500 per
month. Is that sxorbitants The mile
age is different for different members,
therefore cannot make the deduction.
Next years session will probably last
six months, for which they will receive
1850 salary and mileage without any
deduction. Now let us see whether that
salary is exorbitant: 1880 for six
months services is about s5s3 per month.
Is not that exorbitant? Now, believe
that the members generally do not spend
as much time as aboYe stated, unless
they are on committees that sit during
the recess and if they are on such COM
mittees, I understand they receive axtrs
pay. How that is 1 do not know but
this 1 know, that many Of the members
are good deal Of their time absent at
tending 10 their own business, or some
thing else-holidsys, visits, etc.-so that
they do not attend 10 Congressional du-
ties as much Of the time as above stated.
The first salary bill was passed and
approved September %, 17s9-about the
close of the first session of Congress 1t
is sufficient 10 say that that being the
fret session OF Congress, as there had
been no authority previously given to
hx their compensation, Of course they
had to do It. On March 10, 1sl6, an act
was approved, changing the eOmpensa-
ton from 50 per day to salary Of 81, $50
per snnum, with mileage as fixed by
law. On February 6, 1877, that law was
repealed.
I have some recollection of that mat
ter. That law was passed soon AFTER the
close of the war. when the country was
getting quiet but its passage created
such " frenzy and 'sexeited such 3
mass of otherwise quiet and peaceable
citizens "-the Law bei=< considered out
rsgeous and exorbitant-that il was re-
peaIed.
In the fan Of 1916 / was in Virginia,
and man named Kerr was the repre-
sentative OF the district where 1 was. and
had voted for that law in q speech be-
fore the people be tried to explain and
justify himself for voting for that law.
using similar arguments and reasons for
his course to those used in the article in
the Washington Chronicle, but he could
not eonvince the people that he had not
done wrong, and they did not re-eiect
him; and think that good many that
voted f,r the 1900 law will not and
ought not 70 be reelected. Henry Clay, !
with all his talents and popularity. bare !
~ escaped defsat at the next election.
Isbzi pass over good many of the
matters ia said article that 1 should like |
to nolls. but it will make my comnnu-
nicafIpr TOO long. sasr
Ihe rtitar 5nstifies Congress in pass
ms .ls s 2 Tor back pay, because previ-
Gus Cor ffe6-es had done so. and there
sSss cobstess aid Fight in the present
inssa1cs knosf Itkta great many peo-
PIE ha7s been dizsefisaed and have con-
deulned the sotion Of Congress hereto
fore in passing such laws. but being in
the minority, they could not help them.
selves. When was boy at school and !
transgressed some rule, and was called !
10 account therefor, and undertook to
justify or excuse myself because some 1
other boy had done the same thing,
was told that was no excuse. but had TO !
recsive the punishment; and think !
1t will be so with some of the Congress- |
men that voted for that Law.
The writer says: The recent act /
passed at the close OF the last session Of
Congress provides for compensation at |
the rate OF $500 per anuum and actual |
expenses Of travel, which would not
probably exceed ten cents per mile, each
way, for future Congresses; and 81, 500 /
per snnuu, dedirctfng theTejrom all al
Io1aHees for mileage. stationery, &c for
the members Of the Congress which en-
acted it. and not allowing even actual
expenses of travel.'
Now If that is law, besides being uu-
lust ard wrong to the public, by taking |
money out OF the treasury that they
were not sntitled to, it is also unjust
among themselves; because some OF
the members had very little mileage, /
while others had milesge to nearly the |
amount of the extra back pay, and de-
ducting their mileage from their back /
pay, left them very little of the grab,
while others poeketed nearly the whole.
The writer says; at is objected that
tIiis money was voted at the close Of the
Congress. and not at the commencement,
as if that fact changed the character Of
the act. &c. if they are honest men,
they viii not put it higher than they |
conscientiaiIy believe 70 be just.
''If they are honest men," 1 think |
the "if'' is properly put in for If we
have had an exhibition of the honesty |
OF some Of the members of the last Con-
gress, they are not all, to say the least, |
honest men, as country people count
honesty. The writer further says:
members can't guess within a thous.
and dollars, what their expenses will be |
In Washington Of a moiety of the
wear and tear of body and brain; re-
garded in the honest, energetic and EN- !
cient performances OF his duties, and
therefore be is better able 20 decide the |
matter on the last than the 6rst day
Of the session."
Many Of the members have been there
several years, and should think they
would know what their expenses would
be, unless they intend to 80 into some