The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-12-27


especially its adjournment of eighteen days
for holiday without having accomplished
anything. The salary grab was debated in
the House for several days and conclusion
reached which is compromise between
the popular demand and the avarice Of
members. In place Of promptly repeating
the grab law, and placing the salary of
members back to what it was, they talked
loudly of reform and changed it to $4,000
in place of $4,000. The Senate spent two
or three days in debating the question
whether it could adjourn on the 10Th in
compliance with the House resolution, and
when the day arrived, concluded to do so.
having lost the additional two days talking
about adjournment.
The theory that political offices ought
to have attached to them high salaries in
order to secure the best talent of the
country. is an exploded idea, although
Gen. Butler and Alexander II. Stephens,
"clasp hands over the bloody chasm - in
agreeing to it. We had, as a general
thing, ADLER men in Congress when the
pay was IS day, than the present high
salary procures. When a political office
becomes an object of pecuniary interest,
the men who are willing to devote their
lives to state affairs, and the science of
government, are quickly superseded by
those OF the money getting class who soon
graduate as first class demagogues, but
spend little time in acquiring a knowledge
Of government. Men ambitious to shine
as statesmen are rarely influenced by the
love of money and e1travagant display.
We think it legitimate conclusion with
the experience Of the past on which to
base the opinion, that the higher the
salary of political offices the poorer the
ability found filing them. The grand
state dinners and court like levees which it
is the custom for congressman and other
public dignitaries at Washington to give,
are lily fitted to what should mark Repub
lican simplicity. They are an imitation of
European court life and to the extravagant
tendencies of the times, in place of an
example OF frugality and plain Republican
manners, which should be encouraged by
the head of the great representative Re
public of the world. Extravaganza of
fashion will always keep pace with an in
crease Of salary, and the men who 90 to
Congress, in the aggregate would be as
hard pushed in few years to get along
with salary of $4,000 as one of three
thousand. 1t is the wild carnival of
fashion and display which has taken hold
of the jewellers in the fashionable haunts
Of the cities, that breed the plentiful crop
of defaulters and official thieves which
blossom and ripened all over the country.
1t is safe rule to let seekers after wealth
pursue fortune in the avenues of private
life; and for men who are willing to sacri
flee wealth to fame and honor, as publicists
and statesmen, who prefer to shine in
the Senate, the Cabinet or the Presidential
Chair, money getting and fashionable dis.
play have no charms. They have, as
rule, neither time or taste for these volup
tuous pleasures. The statesmen whose
fame shine brightest in the worlds history
gave little thought to wealth, fine raiment,
or the Injuries of the table. Like the late
lamented Agassiz they "hadn't time to
make money" Too much salary is the !
bane of our public officers. There are too
many men in Congress and they get too
much pay. The people are losing all re-
spect for what is termed sour rulers"