The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-11
A Fact in the Congressional Larceny
IRON the n. z. Post)

(Erom the n. 7. POst)
As Butler deniea the authorship Of the
bsck.pay amendment We are at los. tc
guess What Congressman could haYc beer
equal to % ingenious an iniquity, since
the latest development show that the
scheme meant tack pay for everybody. Il
seems that every member Of Congress
elect who holds the proper certificate and
wnose seat IS not contested, now draws
his salary monthly 81 the rate OF 1925 per
month. Thus, there having been no
March session, The members may draw
$685. before they take their seats in De
cember, which Is secs more than the
whole amount Of the old salary, and It Is
to be paid before days service has been
rendered, or before even the forms OF
membership hsVe been complied with.
The effect Of this is to ensure the United
States Treasury against the possibility OF
saving few dollars by reason Of resignS'
ton, death or vacancy from any other
cause. A case has lately risen which IL
Illustrates this. Mr. William Whiting was
last fall elected to Congress in the Third
Massachusetts, District. lie died on the
Goth Of June. His heirs are therefore en-.
titled 10 four months pay unless Ar.
Whiting has already drawn it On the
4th Of November his successor will be
elected, and as soon as be receives his Ger.
tificAte from the Governor, he can draw
1925 per month from the first Of
July. II he has other business more
attractive or more imperative than
his duties as Congressman, he may
resign on the lst Of December, be-
fore Congress assemblies, having three
thousand dollars in his pocket Without
even seeing his name enrolled in the OH.
cial record. II Butler hsd not 50 posi-
lively denied the authorship Of the bill,
unchAritAble persons might have said that
he was already counting upon his election
as Governor in November, having mean.
while added this five thousand dollars Of
back pay to his income 10 deiray his cam
paign expenses. m.
The salary bill seems to have been de-
signed Tor . swindle from beginning 70
end. While every chance Is given the IN
dolent and useless members 10 draw pay
before they earn 1t, no chance Is given the
tax payers. They must pay in full for ser
vice which was never rendered. II the
authors and abettorS Of this scheme think
that Alter these repeated exposures such
an affair will "blOW over" they mistake
the public judgment. And this reminds
Us once more to draw the attention OF
those Congressman who have announced
that they "hAVe not drawn the back pay"
10 the fact that something more is neces.
sary. A Congressman who is competent
TO make laws did not need the assurance
Of the Secretary Of the Treasury that the
claims for this salary against the United
States never lApseS," for a little common
sense teaches that reputation is not a
part Of our Constitution. What will Sen.
Stors Sherman, Edmunds and Morton do
about It? They have boosted that they
left the back pay in the Treasury; but it
may remain 10 their credit fot lifetime
They must make formal restitution or
they must bear the discredit Of accepting
the booty. Further than this It is well
TO bear in mind that among the measures
which will be demanded Of the present
Congress with remarkable unanimity will
be the repeal or modification of law
which was disgraceGul TO the Congress
that passed it, and will hardly be less 80
to one that permits 1t TO stain the statute.
book.