Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-09-17
Massachusetts, Republican Reso-
1ntiOnS.


and without any discussion except the
| sarcastic speech Of Gen. Butler, lengthy
series of resolutions printed elsewhere in
this paper Several of these resolutions
have an Importance and bearing outside of
Massachusetts, and deserve notice and COM
ment.
THE SALARY INCREASE.
The expression of the convention respect
ing the increase Of salaries by the last
Congress is hardly according to the truth OF
history, and makes what will seem to many
persons an unjust discrimination between
the increase of tie salary of tho President
and that of members of Congress. 1t is
not true that Congress or the country sup
posed any increase of the Presidents salary
to be more "just and necessary" than the
additional salary of members of Congress.
When the proposition to increase the Presl-
dents salary first came before Congress,
! standing by itself, it met with small favor
| either in Congress OF the country; and the
| scheme of increasing congressional salaries
was an afterthought and resorted to to help
the bill through to increase the Presidential
salary. The President favored the bill before
it passed either House, and personally ex-
pressed to members desire to have his own
salary increased; and the selfish interests
of members in increasing their own pay was
only one of the devices by which the Presi-
dents salary was raised in other words, 1t
pulled that increase through. and the whole
measure had favor at the White House on
that account.
How far there is any opinion that the
increase of the Presidents salary is more
"just and necessary than that of members
of Congress is not quite clear; but the
convention in Massachusetts, is the first one
yet held that has expressed such an opinion.
liz is tain that most of the members OF
Congress who opposed the one opposed the
other. The salary Of the President was
| $25 900 year, previous to the passage oil
the bill About $40 900 more was annually
| appropriated for the White House and
grOunOs. 1ue estdDIloumtub -tua1 IT,
the White House, grounds, &c.-has always
been kept at the public charge; besides the
annual salary, carpets, furniture, gas, fuel,
and many servan is are paid for by separate
appropriations. 10 short, the Pre- sident only
| has the personal expenses of himself and
| family and the expense of his table to pay
| Tor. Besides, his public entertainments cost
him nothing the few dinners he gives to
members OF Congress are the chief items
of expense outside of the ordinary expenses
of private family. There is not a member
Of the cabinet Who keeps house in Washington
who does not have need to spend more money
than the President, even without taking into
account house rent, furniture, servants, and
care of grounds yet the salary OF members
while the President s is $50 600, and $50 600
more-and this sum is annually increasing
| for house, grounds, &c. Those who think,
that, in view of these facts, the Presidents
salary was properly doubled have, of course,
right to their opinion, but 1t is not easy
to see why they should, at the same time,
denounce members of Congress for making
their salary, in fact, about one-tenth that OF
the Presidents. The condemnation of mem
oers of Congress who favored this increase
has been in the main undoubtedly deserved,
but even an American love of fairness GU hit
not to make distinctions between those voting
for, and the one urging the passage OF and
approving with his signature, necessary to
make the bill law, measure unfairly and
unreasonably increasing salaries. Members
of Congress voted for the bill increasing
their own salaries, for which they have been
properly criticised; the President urged the
passage of this bill in advance, approved it
after it passed, and thereby made it. law
md doubled his own salary, and the
Massachusetts, Republicans practically ap-
prove his curse. Then why object to Gen.
Buffers advocacy of the measure?
Since the above was in type, an examin-
alton of the appropriations for the last four
years shows that $40 600 is much too low an
estimate of the appropriations for the White
House and grounds. In 1870 there was de-
fciency appropriation alone tor rep airs, &C,
| of $40, 900, and the appropriations for 1871
II, amounted in the aggregate to more than
| Sis 900, exclusive of clerk hire, and not
including gas which is put into a general
appropriation for the public grounds. 0
this amount over S27 900 was for repairs
and refurnshing the executive establishment;
this amount, which was provided for the
next year by deficiency bill. The amount
spent in that year upon the White House
and grounds was over 100000.
| The appropriations for lo71-72 were less,
amounting, exclusive Of clerk hire and gas
to something over $3.50 For 1928
appropriations for the same purposes amount
ed to over S63, 900.
Below will be found, in detail, the appro-
priations for the current year, 1894:
T F%FD noi,d kseeer ss 20
| One night Waterman, 800
Usher, 1900
| Two doorkeepers, ? 400
| steward, 2OO0
Messenger, 200
Secretary and clerks, 10000
Contingent Expenses, 600
Annual Repairs, White House, $1,000
Reluruishing W hIte House, 10 900
Fuel 5000
Green house, 10000
Grounds, 10 600
This makes a total of over ST. 900, and,
with the addition of the Presidents salary,
makes the expense of the executive estab