, 1873-03-17
THE SALARY GRAB.

How tho Salhry Hill Wns Pnsscis---
lcuttor Tho Author Of tlAo Hil1--Triclks
: and mnncuycra --- The DisgraCoful
Retroactive Cluusc---A $4,000 1srlbc
.--Nhe Voto In Detail.
naahi"gto" arsh ny Gosyxsponde"ee Of The hsO 1ork
Tho Increased Salaries bill, which was put as q
rider upon an appropriation bill and pnsHod in
and diacroditablo history. Its author was Con.
Eutler, who waB probably the only mar bf ability
III Congress- who bad tho courage to stand spon-
Bor for d measure which VAS evidently destined
aasses tS q ooe os hopooss e ao B
Ter prepared his bill carly in tho session and sent
it to his own committee, the judiciary. He
might Just % appropriately haye referred
Tho bill had no relation to tho proper
business OF the Judiciary Committee,
but Butler wanted it where ho could nurse it
hi1naelf. He did uot. dare trlst it to other
House for two Or three yoars tl,at some increase
of salary ought to bo provided for the President
and Supreme Court judges. Some thought that
tho Cabinet Ministers should hayo little lerger
been maao to raiae the salaries Of certain bureau
officers and resistant secretaries, but without
succcss Nothing had over been said iu either
House, however, in favor Of increasing tho
pay Of congrcssmen until Butlor hroached
the subject. For nearly ton years tho
salary OF Senators and Representative had ro-
maincl unchanged at ST., 900 a yenr, With mileage
at the ratio Of 40 cona milo for tho distance to
and from his home By tho shortest post routes.
Ibero WaH, besides, MI allowance Of 9125 to each
member Of tho House for stationery for the long
session, and G75 for the short session, m al
lowance Of $50 q session for newspapers, 0ud
liberal appropriations for packing boxes, roots,
bulbs, and cuttings Of ornamental plantB and
Tho Senators had m unlimited allowance OF ata-
tionery, which is construed to include cologne,
bay-runl, tootl-brushes, pockaet~knlyeB, photo
EhaRn aa SOAP god pencils an1 an ae9n
thousand dollars year with all tlego per-
quisites appeared pretty liberal compensation,
in view Of the fact that most OF the members
have other business beside that Of logislating
tend to it, tho sessions Of Congress- occupying
only about nino monthB out Of twonty-four.
nuTLEn's FIRST ErFoRTs.
The idea Of making an Omnibus bill to include
dent, the Supreme Court Judges, and the Heads
of Departments, tue mover before tallsed-of in-
oroahe for momhers Of Congress, apparently
originated with Butler. Ho brought the billback
Of February, with long report, historical, ar-
gumentative, and ditlacto,-in which, ho laborcd
harl 10 prove TINT there Sero strong reasons Of
Justice, morals, sl.l public economy for raising
report he advocated .ho inereas'o Of Of tue % Prosi-
1onts Balary to $50, 900, and proposed to raiso
tho pay Of the Judges and the Aoads Of Depart
menta to s8, 900. Els bill to accomplish all this
before, 8argent had tried to put an aneendmont
on tho Executive and Legislative Appropriation
bill raiHing tho Presidents na1ary to $50, ,000.
Dawes, WHO was in tho chair, ruled 1t to be In
order, but Ill appeal WIS taken, and tho House,
by vote Of GO yoas to Ct uuys, refused to sus-
tain tho ruling.
Dulior's next movo was to got h1s bill htchol
on to an appropriation bill. Ho made ths frat
~. IL.