The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-02-11
PAYING TIE PIPER.
Readjustment OF the Government sala-
rirs-R.port OF the Judiciary Gem
nfttee,

WASHINGTON, February. Z.
The bill reported to-day oy M. Butler, OF
Massachusetts, from the committee on tne
judiciary. to adj ist the salaries OF the eXrcC-
live, judicial and legislative departments OF
the government SE1Taess .at aoer ~ars
aunum: President Of the United States,
$40 600: Vice-President oil the United States,
sic, 600; Chief Justice OF the United States,
$40. 500; Justices Of United States Supreme
Court, $40 900; cabinet officers, SIC, ,0O0i speak
er OF the House, $40 600; members OF Con-
gress, ss00O The cUiDmlLlee accompany the
bill with report, 10 which Ihey say .lsS tnas
eighty Years ago at SIS 900 In gold, and
that The cuuhtry has Increased tenlold iu popn-
lation, and more than that In wealth, Win
The expense OF living Increased al the same
ratio. SlU0, 600 In currency now will mol pur-
chase as much US SIS 600 In gold would three
quarters OF century ago. The argument
tnat the disparity Of compensation between
former Presidents and now Is removed oy
extra allowances, the committee say Is not
true. Earlier Presidents were provided with
furniture, and even horses and carriages. Tne
committee think the present compensation ls
mot one-fourth In value what II was when the
Office was created. The committee urge an
other reason-that is that custom and pubic
sentiment forbid an ex-presldent from all
active or money-making pursuits, anG that ne
ought to have sufficient provision Wnlle IN OIL
fee to enable him when he leaves 10 be Tree
from the necessity of occupation. 10 view OF
these considerations the committee nave
agreed 10 recommend that the salary oil Inc
President be nxed at $50, 900 per annum at the
very least. Salaries oil other othcers OF Inc
Government heretofore recited, are recon.
mended also by the committee, on tne grouno
that gentlemen 10 their station cannot live 10
Washington, even on the amounts named, and
have had to rely upon former savings Tor
support. The committee urge the salaries Oh
the Judges especially are inadequate. On The
subject of salaries TO senators, an1 represent
a,ives aud delegates to Congress, the com
mittee not only 1nd them inadequate
In amount, but unequal In mileage,
which value mas always been purely arbitrary.
The rule was fixed when transportation was
slow and expensive, and when II often took
month tor distant member to reach the cap
iLal, but there never was time when what Ia
known as mileage was actually expended IN
travel 10 aud from the capital. The greater
portion of it has always been In the nature
of additional pay, and hence has worked an
| Inc qualify, and this Inequality has become
| greater since the construction OF rallroaas.
| The committee think that 5000 would pay the
| actual travelling expenses of ten members re.
siding most remote, yet 1t ls found that Tor O
sloge session the average amount OF ten
members residing the fnrthest Is Sl,25O 40,
against $50 80 of q like number residing near
est. II Is apparent, therefore. that members
| living at q distance receive more than $l2O0,
| in addition to the pay of many of their fellow
| members. On account OF this Inequality the
| committee recommend the abolition oil pay on
account of mileage, except for actual ex.
penses, which shall be Itemized and filed with
| the proper officers. This will equalize the
pay of members, and save the govern ment
annually at least $50, 900.
The committee call attention TO the fact
that the abolition Of the franklng privilege
will save the government annually S2,543,--
| 327 II, and they apprehend that The Increased
| postage account OF members vii! be large,
aud In view of this and In lieu OF mileage aud
| all other perqulsites, the committee recon.
mended that the annual pay of members shal
be $4,000. II these recommendations are
adopted the account on the score OF economy
which the present session Of Congress will
present to the country, the committee state
will be as follows: Increase OF Presidents
salary, s25, 900; Increase Of Cabinet ministers,
$4,000; Increase oil Judges OF Supreme Court
| SIS, 500; Senators, members and delegates,
1912, 900; total increase, Sl,O2s, 500. Saving tc
| the government, according to The Official
statement of the acknowledgement, per an
NUN. bv the abolition OF the ranking priVi'
lege, $2,543,3 Y; saving 10 the government
| BY the abolition OF mileage, stationery, pest
age and newspaper accounts, estimated, $500,
QUO; total, $2,743,337 "a; total net saving
sl,7l3,s27 72.
The committee state that they are following
precedent on this subject, in recommending
that the increased pay be given to tue preseLn
| Congress, dedncting mileage received, on the
ground that if 1t Is an equitable provision fol
future Congresses 1t is for the Forty-secont
Congress-.