The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1873-07-24
DEFENDING THE SALARY STEAL.

DEFENDING THE SALARY STEAL.
About a month ago Senator Carpenter
of Wisconsin made speech at Janesville,
defending the increased salary business.
His first argument is, that members of
Congress ought to be well paid, or only
the rich can afford to go to Congress
He next argues that Congress has con-
stitutional right to fix the compensation
of members and that they are compelled
to receive such compensation, or violate
the oath they take to support the consti-
tuition. He argues this absurd and mon
strous proposition at length, and for fear
the reader will not believe that any man
of even the most ordinary ability could
take such position, we give one quo
tation:
81 do not charge the rich men in Con-
gress with any bad intention, but do
charge that, for the purpose of making
favor with the people, they have surren-
dered what they can, and poor men can
not afford to; and have violated the ex-
press command of the Constitution they
have sworn to support by refusing to receive
what the Constitution expressly declares
they shall receiue the compensation for
their services in the Forty-second Con-
gress which is fixed by law"
Mr.. Carpenter argues at length that
members of Congress should keep up
with the extravagant fashions of the
times. He admits that he was so poor
4, hot I, eofo
piano until he was fifteen years of age.
We have read some where that if you put
beggar on horseback he will ride to the
devil. And now this man Carpenter still
claims to be very poor man, and yet he
says he cannot begin to live on 81, 500
year. He goes into details. He says he
rents house and an office in Winconsin,
where he resides, and he also rents
house and an Office in Washington City
Then he has library consisting of fifteen
thousand vol,tmes, upon which he pays in
surance, &c The man who earns his
living by the sweat of his brow, and who
earns the money which this Goldfish aris-
tocrat spends so freely, will perhaps come
to the conclusion that Mr.. Carpenter
might get along with one residence, one
Office, and perhaps few less books than
fifteen thousand volumes.
Here is a statement which should
arouse the whole country:
"But it may be said, if have a house
in Milwaukee, why not leave my family
there? Why hire house in Washing
In
ministration, it must be at the hands of
men living in healthy and normal con-
dition. The laxity of life is restrained
by the supervision of a wife, and the
heart is kept alive to the better feelings
of our nature by the sweet voices and
tender touch of children. Members of
Congress will have families in Washing
ton. 1t is better that they should have
their oWn.
The Italics are as we find them in the
printed speech. If the above monstrous
charge had been made by newspaper
correspondent, we should not have be-
lieyed word of it; but here is direct
charge that members of Congress-all
members, if the language is literally
taken, keep mistresses with whom they
live in Washington City, unless they have
their wives with them. And this charge
is made by United States Senator, who
surely knows what he is talking about.
We read day or two ago in the Long
Branch correspondence of the New York
Tribune, that there was dance at that
place every night. On these ordinary oc-
casions, the women dress in the most
costly manner. One woman wore dia-
monds of such value that two of them
would be sufficient to furnish capital to
start a National Bank. The dress of one
woman, with its French lace trimmings
cost as much as valuable farm. Are
these women the mis- stresses of members
of Congress, and are these costly dresses
and jewels paid for by members of Con-
gress out of the back pay steal? The
mass of the people all over the country
the farmers, mechanics, laborers,-all
those who produce the wealth of the
country, should inquire into this matter
They should see to it that their money is
placed where it will do them the most
good When their wives and daughters
are wearing out their lives with daily
toll, let them see to it that part of their
hard earnings is not squandered by mem
bers of Congress upon loose women at
Washington City or Long Branch.
Until the year 1856 members of Con-
gress got along very comfortably on eight
dollars per day, and for ten years more,
including the period of the war, when
prices were double what they now are,
members only received three thousand
dollars per year. Under the low salaries
it will not be claimed, even by Senator
Carpenter, that an inferior class of men
were sent to Congress. Such men as
Clay, Webster, John Quincy Adams, j ohm |
c. Calhoun, &c, never received over eight |
dollars per day. or less than fifteen hun
dred dollars per year for the time actually
employed. But perhaps men of that
class did not deem it indispensable to
maintain prostitutes while serving in Con.