, 1873-04-25
a. NEW QUALIFICATION FOR CONGRESS

Mr. benjamin Z. Butler, who boasts Of being
tho author Of tho back-pny Bwindlo for tho In
crease Of tho natarios Of members Of Congross,
III q lottor justifying tho measure to citizen Of
Pounsylvauia, declarca that Congress Inns to do
tho work Of nation Of forty millions Of people,
" and no man who cannot earn ut least 81, 900 is
ft to do that work." This places the robbery
On now dofenBo. It suggests that mon who
accepted places under stipulation that they
woro to got $4,000 year arc justified in laying
handg on any amount Of thoir e1nployors
money to mako up what thoy shall think
thoy could carn elsewhere. But n1r. Butler
establiahoa new test Of eligibility
to Congress. No man who cannot Darn
ut his business $500 u year is At, accord
ing to A1r. Butler, to go to Congress- This
definition Of ftness, if accepted, would bring tho
number Of persons eligible to comparatively
small number. According to tho ruturnB OF tho
income tar, tho number whoao income reached
that sum was not only small. but they wore not
generally Of tho clasH who would make desirable
members Of Congross. Oakcs AnleB and other
wealthy manufacturers, or holders Of patents, or
who manage railroad corporations nko Jay
Gould, Daniel Drow, and Vanderbilt, all belong
to TINT class. There wero, Of courso, Il great
thany merchants included In tho List having
incomes equal to $4,000, but as general
thing that income was not Of itaolf evidonco Of
intellectual power, education, experience. or any
of tho requisites for an Intelligent reprosentn-
tire Of the public interests. Mr.. Butler, for in-
stance. haa IN interest in mill whore bunting ia
manufactured. This manufacture is heavily pro-
tocted, aud tho law which protects 1t mny secure
to Mr. Butler an income Of $780, or more.
That, howover, adds nothing to lis fitness as q
member Of Congress, and, should that Law DO re-
ponlod md hin income bo diminished, it would
not follow TINT lo thereby ceased to bo fit to
aerve in Congress. Tho average annual earnings
Of the whole American people do not exceed $500
employed clnssos do not exceed $1,000.
Tho average earnings Of those holding aalariod
omploymonts does not exceed S11,500. Tho aver
age earnings Of tho learned professions do not
exceed $4,000. And yot Of these tho majority
arc probably equal, IT not superior, to tho aver
ago member Of Congress-. There arc q number
OF Congressman whose private incomes arc
largely in c1cesa Of $500 year, but an exam.
ination Of tho list will not show that these rank
among tho more intelligent Or capable Represent
atives. Income Is, Of all other standards, tho
most uncertain, IT not tho basest, by Which to
test honesty, intelligence, mud atncss 70,
Congressional duty. There arc mon III
this and in all other cltlcs who
mako twice Dut1er'a standard Of tltness at
tho gambling table; others mako largo suma by
tho uso Of public money in their hands; others
gamble in gold aud in etocla others got them.
selves included in Byndicatos; otlora contrlYo te
obtain Government contracts. ALI these, nc.
cordina to lIr. Dutlor, arc better fitted for Con.
grosa, and aro to bo preferred to tho man wllc
earuu Ills living by labor, montal Or manual, uni
who doos not oarn $500 year.