The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-12-06
Not q Defense.


The patrons of the PRESS will bear witness
that it has never been an apologist for the sal
airy bill of the last Congress. On tine o'ner hand
it was the FIRST paper in Name 10 denounce
the measure. which it did in an indig-
nant editorial published in the same is
sue that contained the announcement of the
passage of the disgraceful bill. go
II NAV be added that we have not changed
our views on the subject in any respect, for
the more it is examined the less deiensble is
the salary measure, whether we regard its
back pay features or its effect in the future.
The principal objection to it is that such
measure is untimely, when the exigencies
of tine government demand the utmost econo-
my in expenditure, to increase the burden of
taxation million and half dollars; and
still more untimely because the country
entering upon an era when there must be
shrinkage in values, and when s. 900 is equal
in its purchasing power to 1000 in 1866,
when the salary was fixed at the former sum.
1t is also highly Objectionable as an example
to the country, for denounce and abuse
Congressmep to our hearts. content, they
have a vast influence in moulding the Gus
toms of thousands; and larger salaries mean
larger expenditures, finer houses, more expen-
sive turn-outs and more princely entertain
menus. And this is just the example we cannot
afford to have set to the country, first because,
as people, we are living beyond our means;
and second, there is every indication that the
incomes of the next generation will be less
than ours, and all examples should be in the
direction of more frugal style of living.
But while we do not defend the back pay
or the $500 pay, and while we have always
denounced it, candor compels us to say. q.
the result of our observation and informant IN,
that the action of the majority of Congress on
this subject is the legitimate result Of the
tone Of morals that preyades business circles
to great extent-that the morality of Con-
gress, as exhibited in the salary business. is
on a par with that of the street, of the ware
house, the factory and of business men in
general Take any of our business communi-
ties, how many men, having the power to dc
so, would resist the temptation to increase
their salaries, particularly when the years
ond found their expenditures larger than their
incomes? How many would reject back pay,
could they get it by their own action after
agreeing to take smaller sum? How many
landlords are there who would not take $500
for $500 rent, if they could gee it? Are there
no merchants who would not take double the
worth of an article if by any means,it come in
their way? Where is there factory that
does not to the utmost limit, cheaper its pro-
ducts by ''shoddy" or its equivalent? How
can the grocer who sells seven-eighths of a
pound of tea and one-eighth of brown paper
for an honest sixteen ounce pound, or the dry
goods dealeriwho mingles fiction and fact about
the quality, or forgets that thirty-three or
thirty-ive inches is not SO good yard for the
purchaser as the three feet standard, or the
constituents who are oblivious about weights
and measures, qualities and quantities in gen.
eral-how can these men denounce their
Congressman on high moral grounds? We
should naturally expect that our ''noble chart
ties, and our moral and religious institutions
would have nothing to do with that terrible
IS, 900 of back pay which hundred tempted
Congressman were denounced as thieves for
taking add COW sfds fof I5Cuinfis,. rOuf1
take dollar of that money. Nevertheless,
one ssnoble charity" of our State publicly in
vited Maine Congressman to give their back
pay to it; and who believes that our
institutions OF learning, so much in need of
funds, or our debt loaded churches, would not
have accepted the gift OF this tainted money?
There is a great opportunity to improve the
moral perceptions OF the average Congress
man, good cause to denounce him for voting
for doubtful rscheme--a just occasion to de
clare him to be an idiot or rogue if he votes
te give the Tom Scott Railroad combination
$50, 900, 900 of the public money-but we in
sist that he shall not be made the scapegoat
for all the sins Of the country as he now is by
the press, the lecturer, the reformer and the
pulpit. ,f,...f, .t.s Fg
If we want more upright and less selfish
Congressman, we must begin by being more
upright and less selfish ourselves. The
stream cannot rise higher than the source the
Representative will not be different from the
constituency-not generally s.t. .t. -rf