Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-07-03
THE SALARY BILL.
senator Carpenters Defense of
the Congressional SALARY
BiIl-his speech at
JaneSVille on
Thursday
last,

| 6kduu HGie bO-ulgDb advocating
the rights Of the poor against the
ambition Of the rich; | am here to
night to maintain that the son of
poor farmer or mechanic, if be have
the necessary qualifications, has as
much right to sit in the Senate of
the United States as the son or
grandson of John Jacob Astor. This
right is secured to the sons of the
poor by the compensation clause of
the constitution. And am here to
night in the interest Of the poor,
and in my own interest as poor
man. to denounce any attempt to
overthrow, or any cowardice which
undermines the republican dogma
of our government, that every pub
lie servant shall receice the compen-
sation for his services which is fixed
by the law OF the land.
There il another consideration
worth mentioning in this connec-
ton. A spirited MAJ will not per.
NIT another to do him any great SER
vice without compensation. You
farmers would not permit man to
work for you all the summer without
compensation, for two reasons; it
would be injustice to the laborer
and second, you do not desire to be
under obligations you cannot dis
charge TO any man. You would say,
want your services, but | must
pay for them or | will not have
them. So the people of the United
States do not desire to be under oh
legations which thoy cannot dis
charge to their public servants
Therefore the constitution says, and
says as emphatically as it says any
thing, the President, the Judges and
the members Of Congress shall receire
the compensation which is fixed by
law; they shall not serve without
compensation we will not DO under
obligations to them.
am aware that the senators who
give back their pay seem to be do
ing q good thing; seem to be doing
favor TO the people,; that the pross
is now chanting their praises. | am
aware that this monopoly Of popu-
larity only the rich can afford to enc
Joy, and therefore the poor members
of Congress who cannot afford to
give up their pay are suffering re-
Duke and censure. To just that ex-
tent the rich are exalted above the
poor, and the people are Injured far
more by this than they are,5eneftted
by the tow dollars which 60 into the
treasury. The path Of history Is
strewn with the wreck Of free insti-
buttons the banners and emblems of
mans liberties lost. Rarely have the
liberties of people been overthrown
by open violence. One despotism
may succeed another by force of
arms, but republics are overthrown
by intidious and sugar.cC ated innov-
aticus the constitution violated in
what is supposed to be the interests
Of the people, loses its sanctty, and
may bo moro easily violated again
by demagogue who wishes to be a
tyrant. Augustus established des-
potism in Rome, by proceeding in
tho name of the republic, which Jul
JUS Caesar had failed to establish by
force, When this matter comes to
be understood, as it will some time,
people will not consent that a few
milIionaires shall undermine their
right to participate in the govern
ment by depositing three thousand
dollars q piece in the Treasury of the
United States.
In my opinion there is but one
question in all this business, and
that is whether 1900 be more than
a Just compensation for the service:
of Senator or Representative in
} Congress. | shall, therefore, first
consider this question. 1t is said
that 81 800 year is large sum Of
money, and that there are u great
: many laboring men who do not sec
one-half that sum in the course Of a
year All this is true, but il is not
quite conclusive Of the subject be
fore us. When you are sick and de-
sire physician when you are in
vOlved in litigation which touche,
J our fortune or your liberty, you dc
not advertise for the physician Oh
lawyer who will serve you at The
lowest compensation. You select
the physician or lawyer whose ser,
vices you prefer, and expect to pay
} him what his services are worth. Sd
in selecting Senator or member oi
Congress, you liz upon the man you
desire to fill the place, and expect
to pay HIM a liberal compensation
for his services. Ii you desire to
pay only such compensation as will
secure the services Of man without
regard to his qualifications for the
place, S. 000 even 81 600, is thrown
away on Congressman, Three
months advertising along the line OF
railroad will secure men enough to
occupy the seats in both houses Of
Congress at three dollars per day
Such an offer made to the laborcrs
on railroad would induce them to
"cut dirt" for Washington faster
than they ever cut dirt from a railroad
bank When you employ a lawyer
or a doctor, bank cashier, the pres
ident Of an insurance company, or
any other person for a particular
purpose, You do not inquire what is
, the smallest sum for which you can
employ man, but what is q reason
able compensation for the services OF
such a man as you want in the par.
ticular place. And this is to be de-
termined by ascortaining what the
same man could earn if employed by
others in the same branch Of bus-
ness.
In 179S Congress fixed the salary
of the President at $500 per an.
mum, probably there was no man in
the United States, at that time, who
had an income exceeding that sum.
Things have greatly changed since