The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-12-11


ions that he had not men enough to man the
ships. He, for one had not been very strongly
inclined to make this increase for the present
emergency, because he was under the impress
sion it wonld not be needed
Mr.. Hale of Me-, asked if the increase was
to be permanent.
MIR. Scofeld replied that the law would be
permanent until changed.
Mr.. Garfield offered an amendment provid-
ing Tor an increase of force, not to continue be-
yond the LIST of june 1875,
MIR. Coburn regarded the proposition as I'M
fortunate. The government was doing every
Thing it could to bring about an amiable ad-
]ustment and he feared an increase of the war
power might create ag itation and apprehension
which would tend to break up the negotiations
Tor an amiable adjustment
Mr.. Kasson advocated the bill as a necessary
measure
Mr.. Archer supported the bill and stated that
one month after the outrage on tine Virgnins
there were only % guns on American vessels
IN Cuban waters, while the Spanish navy in
cuban waters at the same time carried $50
guns. 1t was possible within $50 days :to have
an American feet of 500 guns in Cuban wa
tiers, but Spain could also have navy of 514
guns, embracing four of the most powerful
ironcads in the world He was satisfied that
whatever difficulties might arise, this country
woHfd be prepared for every emergency;
AFTER further discussions, Mr.. Garfeld's
amendment was adopted, aid the bill as
amended passed.
Mr. Butler of Mass, presented certifc cation
OF the w. ). laws, prepared by the commission
of laws.
Mr.. Garfield ON the Committee on Appro-
pr1ations, reported bill appropriatng $4,000
goO Tor extraordinary expenses of the navy,
Referred to the Committee of the Whole.
line House resumed the debate on the salary
question.
Mr.. Tremaine, (Rep.) of N Y. spoke in ia
Vor OF proposed reduction. He agreed with the
report OF the minority of the select committee
IN the statement that the increase of salary
had been condemned by every class. He said
this was time when the members should be
willing to make personal sacrifices. The coun-
try was passing through crisis, and the agri-
cultural interests, and the pressure of taxation
to meet the interest on the national debt, was
resting most heavily on the industry of the
country. Referring to the disposition of some
men to profit by holding public Office, he said
there was an extraordinary example of that
| class OF public officers. He referred the House
| to one who had once been a member of that
| body, who subsequently held Office in the City
| OF New York, and who by means of conspiracy
| with other office holders used public office for
the aggrandizment of his own fortune. That
| man had suffered the penalty which sooner or
| later comes to punish those who violate the
| laws of God and man. Those who wished to
| profit by that mans example. might Look in
| upon him in cell "a of the penitentiary on
| Blackwell's Island. The angry waves of part
| izenship which recently ragged SO furously, are
| gradually aubsding He was sure he spoke
| the sentiment of every gentleman of the House
| when he said that if it were necessary to-mor-
| row to vindicate the unatoned and unsatistied
dishonOr inflicted on the national flag, there
was not one of them who would not vote all
| men and money necessary to wipe out that
| stain on the national honor at all hazards. He
| therefore, appealed to the House to act with
humanity on this question and to repeal the
act of the Sd of March, 1873,
Mr.. HaWley (RaD) of CT addressed the
House in favor of a reduction of salaries He
| did not object to the increase given members
| OF the Cabinet and Justices of the Supreme
| Court. He was perfectly willing that those
house in respectable style should have $4,000
| year. As to the Presidents, he had not
voted to make it $4,000 and would not do so.
| He was sorry to see such tone of denuucia-
| ton or censure as prevailed in the House on
| this subject. 1t was below the tone of the ma
ton. He would vote for a reasonable reduction
OF salary and to give members what he thought
they ought to have.
Mr.. Kellogg (Rep.) of Ct, favored the reduc
| ton OF salaries of members and Senators, but
did not believe that the people required an in
terferance with the salaries of other officials.
| He therefore could net support the bill of tie
minority as to back pay. The will of the ,peo-
pie should be respected. If it had not been
| eminent, it had been at least very bad blum
| der, and blunders were sometimes as bad as
| crimes.
Mr.. E. H. Roberts (Rep.) of N, Y, said he
obeyed the popular will, because he believed it
| right. Great violence and lack of discrimi-
| nation had characterized the public press on
| this quest on. The indiscrimnate abuse of
public men without decent pretex, was a crying
| shame If the members carried their eyes to
| the other side of the Atlantic, they would see
how mischievous this was.
| Mr.. Negley-"Did not the gentleman carry
his back pay TO the o Their side of the Atlantic?"
| RobeTts-If the gentleman has satisfied his
own conscience with reference to his own back
| pay, he has performed his duty; but appeal to
| him not to decide my duty for me.
| Negley-I mean nothing unkind; 1 simply
in. whether the gentleman did not lately
| Roberts-When consent to degrade this body
| by personal controversy, it will be when /
| change my estimate of public duty. say that
| this indiscri1 mate abuse of public men this
| attempt to drag down gentleman in this body
is an injury to the country; yet this newspaper
| criticism grows out of moral sentiment 1t is
an xpression-mOrbid, perhaps, but still an ex-
preston of something mendable, AN express
sion of an aroused public conscience.
Mr.. Nibock, Dem,, of Ind, thought the most
| graceful thing to do was to renstate old Low.
He thought the Presidents salary too high, and
out of proportion to those of the Cabinet and
| Supreme Court.
| Mr.. Fry, Rep, of Maine, declined making A
speech, as he was already in the faith.
MIR. Dawes, rep, of Massachusetts, said his
prediction, made when opposing the increase of
salary, had become history. His reasons then
given had proven good and valid. He believed
| now, more than ever that it was an unusual
measure. He thought then, and still thinks a
| revision of compensation should be for those in
civil service, and it would be well for us to be-
gin to increase compensation with those officers
| OF government on whose integrity the revenues
of the country depended, who are ekeing out a
| scanty subsistence on mere pittance. There
| are custom house officials receiving more than
| hundred thousand dollars for their services;
| but he had failed to get hearing for appraisers
aud measures, on whose judgmentthe collection
| revenues depends, whose salaries are but $1,000.
| The reasons then urged by him against the in
| crease, are the same he now urges for undoing
everything then done, and nothing short of that
| will meet either the public expectations of to-
| day, or the fair and honest judgment of the flu
| ture. Anything we can do however, cannot
| reach the executive, as the constitution has
| wisely guarded against any encroachment on
his conversation; neither can the salaries of
| the Supreme Court Judges, nor Cabinet offices
| be touched. He referred to feature of the
| present bill, which reduced the salaries of the
| presiding officers of the Senate and House to
$4,000, while that of the Cabinet remains at $1O,-
| 900, and he held they should be alike.
| Mr., Hale OF N. Y, asked Mr. Dawes if he
| considered $4,000 an extravagapt salary for
| the head department, or the Supreme Judge.
Mr.. Dawes replied, it would be sorry day
| for the country when Offices should be sought
IOr Illo uOucy tuey Will Drln3. IL WOulO be
| better for all if the compensation be returned
to what it was before the passage of the law
| in 1873
In the course of his remarks Mr.. Dawes stat
ed the salary and perquisites of the President
amount to 100000 for single term. Mr.. G.
F. Hoar asked him how he made out that sum.
In reply Mr. Dawes stated he had taken from
the appropriation bills sums for the Presidents
household and house just what would be ex-
pended by any other officer who has his own
house, not the cost of house but yearly appro-
preparations for Carrying it on and keeping it in
repair. Hoar-Is it not for maintaining estate
pertaining to the position? Dawes-f the
President is on footing with other officials he
would have to pay it out of his income. Hoar
If he didn't have it he wouldn't spend it,
Mr.. Hale notified the members that he would
call the previous question tomorrow at three
o'clock.
The Speaker announced the following com-
mittees:
On Mississippi Levees-Morey of Louisiana,
Hurlburt of Illinois, Stanard of Missouri.
Pierce of Mississippi Lewis of Tennessee, Ran
dali of Pennsylvania, and Lamar of Mississip
pi.
On Centennial Celebration and proposed ma
tional census of 1875-Kelly of Pennsylvania,
Hawley of Connecticut, G. T. Hoar of Massa-
chusetts, Shanks of Indiana, Woodford of New
York, Butler of Tennessee, Smith of Ohio,
Fort of Illinois Clavton of California Wells