The Rock Island daily Argus., 1873-03-18

Cause--A pO,OOO .hrlOe--opehkeI bAalnes
Part in the seheme--The vote in
Detail.
From o regular correspondent Of the New York
Tubuncl
WAsHINGToN, March THE Increas-
ed Salaries bill which was put as rider
upon an appropriation bill, and passed in
the last hours Of the session, had chec-
o1iered ana discreditable history. It's
author was Cen Butler, who was proba-
bly, the only man Of ability In Congress
who had the courage to stand sponsor Ior
a measure which was evidently destlned 10
be exceedingly unpopular, ana the ultimate
passage Of which looked almost h9pclcSs'
Butler prepared his bill early IN the SeS~
sion and sent IL to his own committee, the
Judiciary. lie might Just as appropriate.
lv have referred " tu tnvahd Pensions or
Foreign Affairs The bill had no relation
to the proper business Of the Judiciary
Committee. but Butler wanted It where he
could nurse it himself He did not dare
trust it IN other hands A general feeling
had existed in the House for two or three
years that some increase of salary ought
To he provided tor the President ana HU.
preme Court Judge, some Thought th31
the Cabinet Ministers should have a httlc
larger nav also. and numerous spaSmodic
attempts had been made 70 raise the salar-
ies of certain bureau officers and assistant
secretaries, but without success. Nothing
had ever been said in either House, how
ever in favor Of increasing the pay OF
Congressman until Butler hroached the
subject For nearly ten years the salary
oF senator, and Representatives had re
maincd UNCHANGED at $1,000 year, with
mileage OF the rate ot 80 cents mile IoI
tine distance 70 and from his home by the
shortest post route, There was, besides
au allowance Of Sl2j 70 each member o
the House for stationary for the long ,es
SION and S1j for the short session. an al
lowance OF So n session for newspapers
aud liberal appropriations tor packing
boxes. roots. bulbs and cuttings of orna
mental plants and trees bouquets euvel
opc- for speeches, etc. The Senators hat
an unlimited allowance Of stationery, ,whicI
was construed to include cologne, hay-ruu
tpnthbrushes, pocket knives photograph
albums soap, gold pencils. and an aston
ishlng variety vt other articles. Fiv
thousand dollars a year with all these per
uuisites appeared pretty liberal compen
satiOu in view of the fact that most o
the members have other business hcsid
that ut lrgislating for the country ant
have plenty of time a. attend to r. tn
session ~ Congress occupying only 1huu
nine months out Of -.
RrTIER's FtRSr EFFORT
Tue idea OF making an omnibus bill Il
include with the long tllkcd.ot lucreas
for the President, the Supreme Cuur
judge and the heads of departments, tn
never before talked.Oi increase for mem
bcrs OF Congress. apparently originate,
with Butler ", brought the bill bac
from the Judiciary Committee on the Il
oi February with % long report. histpr
cal argumcntatiyc and didactic, write
hv himself in which he lahored hard
prove that there were strong reasons
Justice, morals, and public economy Il
raising the salary 10 $4,000 per annuu
lu the same report he advocated the II
crease of the President salary u $4,000
and proposed IN raise the pay ut ii
Judges and the heads of departments
- 600 lIi- bill tb accomplish all Nh
was recommitted without action Son
time before Sargent had tried tp put q
amendment ON the Executive and Lcusl
tive Appropriation Bill raising the Pres
dent . salary To $4,000 Dawes. who w
IN the chair ruled il 10 be ia order but
appeal wa, taken, and the House by
vote Of go yeas 10 g. nays. refused o. 81
tain the ruling
Butler next move was o. ret his v
htched ON to an appropriation bill !
made the first effort o. accomplish this
Feb ! when he moved IN suspend &
rules 50 as TO instruct the Appropriate
Committee to bring in the bill a. part
the MscclaueOu, Appropriation bill tn
about tu bc reported 20 the House. /
was beaten by q vote of 81 yeas to /
nays, hut he gained a point-hc got
showing of hands he knew the strcnc
Of his forces and could see how many
cruits he must get 10 win He had fol
seen that il was essential tJ secure t
help of the outgoing members, who nu
hcred nearly one hundred aud that the
wa, only one way .o do this Bv all1wi
them tD share in the profits Of the prop,
ed raid on the Treasury He thereto
inserted the words, including members
the Mild Congress the effect of viii
was tu make the increase retr1actiyc-g
my back two years,
DRUMMING UP RECRUITS.
Iu u this time comparatively Z
members had faith in the process Of
movement and very little had been 81
about It in the informal canyasses in
lubbies and cloak.rooms, which inhuei
the disposition of bills far more than
debates upon the floor Now it was $,
that the bill had u strong backing
pledged supporters, and an active canv
for recruits began, Late in the night
Monday the 18th, Butler sprung his
upon the House, as an amendment 10
Executive, Legislative, and Judicial !
preparation bills, which had come hi
from the Senate with amendments.
uur but the friends Of the measure I
nouce Of his intention. 4 large NUM-
ot members had gone home on the ass
auro Of Garfield that the bill would be q
ed uu only tu get it In place and that
expected no action upon It. Garfield n
tested but Butler insisted on n vote ON
amendment, aud carried It hy : tu 81.
. vote hy teller. ia Committee Of
Whole The Credit Mobilier debate
terveued next day, and 10 was Friday
fore the question came up again.
ler amendment adopted In Committe
the whole, was rejected by the House
a call Of the Yeas and Nays by a yot,
go 10 III Butler changed his vote To
IN order a. move a reconsideration
THE SARGENT AMENDMENT ADOPTE'
Next morning he made the motion,
promised II II carried to admit an am,
ment prepared By Sargent fixing the
ary AZ 10000 with no allowance for {
cling expenses. This seemed fair pi
u,itl0u, and the recommendation was
ricd without much opposition Sarl
offered his amendment, but by the tim
began 20 dawn upon the minds Of
members who opposed an increase tina
any change were made in the salary
whole question would IN the end ~ L
Conference Committee Of six men
could put IN any amount they pleased
then force the House 10 agree "a their
port or run some risk OF losing the eI
Appropriation bill, which would max,
extra session necessary Sarg,
amendment narrowly escaped defeat,
vote being 100 to o. Amendments q
ed by Garfield were adopted, raising
salaries of all the clerks Of the House,
adding 10 per cent TO the pay Of all @
employees, and adding $1,000 year to
salaries Of the Assistant Secretaries Of
General Departments
II