The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-12-17

salary or compensation of Senators and Repre-
seutatives in Congress or of any officer or enl-
ploye OF the government, except SO far as re
lates TO the Judges of the Supreme Court and
to the President of the United States during
his present term of office. The second ection
provides that hereafter the compensation of
Senators, Representatives and delegates in Con-
gress shall be at the rate of $500 per annum,
and this shall be in lieu of al! allowances ex-
cept actual and necessary individual travelling
expenses coming to and returning from the ma
tional capital once every session, which shall
be paid to every Senator and Representative gu
the same being certified by him to the proper
accounting officer, and the salary orcompensa-
ton of all officers and employees of the govern
ment subject to the exceptions named in sec
ton shall hereafter be the same as they were
prior to the passage of the act of 1873. The
third section requires the Secretary of the
Treasury to cover into the treasury all sums
that remain undrawn or that may have been
received as increased compensation which shall
or may have come into his possession by the re-
turn thereof
MIR. Hale stated how the committee had ar
rived at the figures of $500, The aggregate
! mileage of both Houses at the last Congress
was $2S0,924, making yearly average of
S4l so for each member. To that was to be
added the allowance for stationery, 1925. THAT
would make the salary and allowances $554l 80
The committee had therefore fixed the total
amount at $500.
Mr.. Kasson of Iowa, a member of the COM
m.ttee, offered an amendment providing that
Senators and Representatives of the 43d Con-
gress who received compensation since the 4th
OF March. 1873, in accordance with the act of
| 1873, shall hereafter be paid only such monthly
instalments as shall, in the aggregate, make
their compensation for the whole Congress
equal to the amount fixed in this law.
Mr.. Hurlburt of Ill., facetiously offered an
amendment providing for three classes of Con-
| gressmep. Glass A, with $500 salary; class
B. $4,000; class c, $4,000. Members to select for
themselves ut the beginning of each Congress
to which Gloss they shall belong. He believed
the House did not intend to pass any practical
measure, and he proposed to help out the
House in that direction
Mr.. Eldridge of Wis. defended his course in
voting for the salary bill of March, 1873
Mr.. kasson, of Iowa, called the previous
question on that offered by him.
Mr.. Butler of Mass, asked leave to offer an
amendment to Mr.. Kasson's providing further
that members of any Congress who received
back pay under the acts of that Congress, shall
have the amount of such back pay deducted
from the amount due them for this Congress
Mr.. Kasson refused to withdraw the prev
ious question and allow Mr.. Buffers PROPOSE
ton to be Offered.
The House, however, refused to second the
previous question, and then Mr.. Butler offered
his amendment to Mr.. Kasson's amendment
| 'Perding the vote on Mr.. Buffers proposit ton
motion to adjourn was made and rejected,
yeas II, nays 1874
Mr.. Hale of Maine, expressed his belief that
MI. Bntlers amendment was offered for the
purpose of weighing down the bill and killing
it.
Mr. Butler denied it.
Aquestien was taken on Mr.. Buffers amend
ment and it was rejected, yeas 12l, nays 12y
After another motion to adjourn was defeat
ed, the House adopted Kassan's amendment,
making the reduction of members salaries take
effect from the 4th of March, 1873 Yeas 172,
nays n.
Without further progress the House adjourn