Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-18
THE CONGRESSIONAL SALARY


the House of Representatives, on the Sd
inst, on the congressional salary i'lft::' = =
Mr.. Garfield, of Ohio. l now yield five
minutes TO the gentleman from PennsylVa-
mia, Mr.. Randall my colleague on the
committee.
Mr.. Randall. When I went into this
conference on this bill, / found that there
were three overshadowing questions beyond
Ill others which were in controversy be-
tween the two Houses. The first one that
met us in committee was this question of
salaries. Upon that question have utter
ed 10 doubtful sound, and have made no
doubtful record in this House. have de-
clared to the country ard TO my constitu-
euts that believed have earned 81, 800 a
year since l have been in this Congress,
and thai could not live here for less with
my family with any sort of decency. do
lot know how 1t may be with members
from the rural districts TO which my friend
from Indiana Mr.. Niblack1 has REFER d,
but could not go into a conference and
suggest that there should be any difference
| in this respect between rural members and,
those who come from cities.
There is another consideration upon this
| question of salaries: almost all members of
Congress are compelled, like myself, to keep
| up a residence here while at The same time
retaining their residences within the State
from which they come.
| The gentleman fToLl Illinois Mr.. Farms
WORTH has talked about the ''manhood" of
this report. Why, sir, would like to ask
him whether it is not more manly to stand
here and vote deliberately in the face of the
whole country for this increase than it is for
member 10 raise bis voice in a demagogui-
cal strain against such a proposition and
then, as soon as the law takes effect, to 20
and draw the money from the Treasury.
Any man bele who raises bis voice against
this increase should not, in my Judgment
take the money if the measure passes,
Mr.. Farnsworth. Does the gentleman
think it manly to refuse the little increase
| asked for overtaked clerks while he is vo-
tag this increase into bis own pocket?
Mr., Randall. l agree With the gentle.
man that the Committee Of Conference
should have adopted his amendment; and
for one long hour l, with my associates Oh
the part of the House, fought in the com.
| mittee for that increase 10 the lady clerks
in the Treasury Department. l do not
| yield 20 the gentleman one jot or title ir
my zeal for such proposition. But we
were finally forced by the Senate conferee;
to yield on rhis gound: They said they
would not assent TO the increase of any
salaries in the Departments unless the in
crease embraced all. They said they were
willing to go into that question at any time
bir. Farnsworth. Does not this measure
increase the salaries Of certain heads o
bereaus in the Departments
MIR. Randall. Yes, sir.
Mr.. Farnsworth. 1t increases the higl
salaries in the Departments, but refuses al
increase of the small ones.
Mr.. Randall. We were unable TO brin.
the Senate conferees to our views on tba
subject.
The next point of difference, upon whicl
the Senate conferees adhered with tenacit,
to what that body had inserted in the bill
was the section known as the Morrill, amend
ment. l gave them to understand that 81
far as l was concerned, | would not sig
any report which embraced that PROPOSE
ton; and finally, that point was yielded OF
the part of the Senate.
The next question in this report, to whicl
we gave our special attention, was the pro
popsition relating to the Pacific railroads
Upon this subject, it appears to me, no mai
in this House who has at heart the interest
of the Government and the people, can oh
ject TO what we have done. We have sough
to avoid any doubtful language, any amoi
guilty of phraseology. We have stood III
firmly to the interests of the Government
in every particular, having made full pro
vision for equity suits to recover every dol
lar of the millions for which these cOmpa
MES are Indebted to the Government.
have nothing more to say, except that
hope the report will be adopted.
Mr.. Garfield, of Ohio. l now yield tW,
minutes to the gentleman from Massachu
sets, Mr.. Hoar.l
Mr.. Hoar. MIR. Speaker, wish to ca
the. attention of the other side Of the Hous
(not for the sake of throwing a stone a
political adversaries, for / should do th
same thing in reference to nay own side
il were true) to fact which must 20 int
the history of this measure if it passes
When the gentleman from California Nh
Sargent proposed 10 increase the Presi
dents salary alone, and the proposition
was ruled to be in order by my c.lleagU
TMr. Dawes then in the chair in Commit
tee of the Whole, the seats on the othe
side of Che House were black with the gen
tlemen who rose to sustain the appeal ant
declare the proposition out of order; anC
my colleague was oVerruled in Committe,
Of the Whole. Then when there vas
: proposition to pay $4,000 apiece to mem
bers of this House as additional pay 70
this Congress, the same seats were blacl
with gentlemen who rose to declare tina
proposition in order. This fact must G
into the history Of the passage Of this meas
ure, if it be adopted.
Mr.. Garfield, of Ohio. l now yield +
the gentleman from Connecticut, Mr.. HaJ
ley.
Mr.. Hawley, of Connecticut. I have bu
one word to say on this subject. L hav
been among those whO.sincerely hoped tina
this Congress would take some steps to
ward resumption of specie payments, an
the restoration Of a sound currency TO thi
country. The government of the Unite
States is to day in such a condition of prac
tel bankruptcy and Reputation, with
currency promising to pay money, whicI
promise is not fulfilled at the Treasury
Should this currency ever be restored to
sound basis (and it is the duty Of the Fed
ersl Government to provide sound cur
rency) it would then have at least twenty
five per cent. greater purchasing power tina
it has now. / then respectfully submit t
the members of this House whether it
not their duty in accordance with the sOun
principles Of political economy, first to Civ
this country an honest currency, and in tina
way legitim ately increase the salary the
already have.
Upon the general proposition l have al
ready expressed my opinion with as nue.
vehemence and decision as I could music
at the time, / protested against it then a
/ especially protest against that which give
members of Congress $1,000 to put int
their pockets for past services. | continu
to protest against it. l au1 not willing T.
vote for it Whether it defeats this bill o
10. and whether it makes one or half do7
en- extra sessions. That is all.
Mr.. Garfield, Of Ohio-I will nov yiel,
three minutes to the gentlems from Ill
nois, Mr.. Burchard.l
: Mr.. Burch&rd-Mr. Speaker, it is not th
time to raise salaries, either of memLeTs G
Congress, heaGs of Departments, heads c
bureaus, or clerks, We, the Republica
party, presented ourselves before the coun
try as the party Of economy. We elaine
there should be an economical ADMINISTERS
ton of the affairs of the Government, an
almost Just after the conclusion of an ez
eli ing political campaign we now prop0s
to increase the expenditures OF the Govern
ment by voting millions of dollars here
increase salaries. 1 therefore shall vot
against the conference report, believing tha
L 4 IL.