Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-02-13
gelluws falls Times,
BELLOWS FALLS. FEB. 10, 1874.
.Iudge PoIand,s Letter.

sicSS'oHai pay.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Il, 1874.
Geo. f. E. Spinner, Treasurer Of The
United Ssates:
SIR: | herewith hand you draft for
the amount received by me for increased
salary as member of the Forty-second
Congress, under the Act of March 3,
1878, to be paid into the Treasury OF
the United States. take this occasion
to state shortly my reasons for so doing.
The Constitution provides that "Sena-
tors and Representatives, shall receive a
compensation for their services to be as
certained by law"
Compensation includes reasonable sup
port while performing the service, and
reasonable reward for the service per-
formed. The compensation heretofore
provided by law has always protested to
be uniform, though the large mileage for
merly allowed made it in fact very un-
equal) In considering what is proper
compensation, difficulty at once arises
from the different conditions and differ
ent habits of the various members, and
first and mainly, as to the support or liv-
ing while performing the service. In
Congress there are always some men OF
large wealth who are able to live, and
do live, in style altogether beyond any
salary yet fixed or even proposed. On
the other hand there is much larger
number who have no other support for
themselves and families but the compen-
sation they receive as a salary. But
many of this class cannot be content to
live within small meanes, but are fool
ish enough to feel that they must copy
the expensives style of their more wealthy
colleagues, or fail of equal social posi-
ton.
But aside from this, there is great
diversity in the actual and necessary ex-
pensss of different members. Some have
large and expensive families to support /;
others have none, or less numerous and
expensive ones. Some have been accus-
toned to the luxurious and expensive
habits of fashionable life; others have
been reared to habits of frugal economy
and have no desire to depart from them.
Compensation for service is perhaps
still more difficult to make equal. There
are always menin Congress of large abil-
ity and attainment who could command
in business or in the professions very
much larger incomes than they receive
in Congress. On the other hand, Con
gress always containes some men whose
services in any department of private
life would not be thought very valuable.
Many members devote themselves assid-
uously and laborously to their duties
some do very little except to look after
the local and personal matters from their
immediate district or state.
1t is apparent, therefore, that in fixing
a compensation for members there would
naturally be very great diversity of opin-
ion as to the proper amount. But this
amount must be fixed by Congress itself,
for the power is vested nowhere else. In
deciding what was proper each man
would naturally be governed much by
his own individual case, and the aggre
gate Judgment of the whole body mus
be the criterion.
When the proposition for an increase
ofthe salary of members was first brough
into the last Congress the House mega
lived it by quite decisive majority, bu
Just atthe end of the session, it having
been placed upon an important appro
priation bill, enough members were found
who felt or affected to feel, that disa
greement to the salary clause, as passed
by the Senate would involve the loss o
the appropriation bill and make a specia
session of Congress necessary to pass tn
bill by bare majority. When last be
fore the House the subject had very lit
tie consideration the want of time an,
condition of the bill prevented any ful
debate.
/ voted uniformly against the increas'
/ was actuated somewhat by my ow
personal condition and ideas. The oil
salary was sufficient for me. But
have no doubt that many of those VII
voted to increase it, felt that it was act'
ally necessary for them. / thought all
that if there was real necessity for q
increase, it was an inopportune time
make it. Certain Investigations and d
velopments had created great excl,
ment in the public mind on the subje
of corruption in public officials, and (
the time there was felt distrust of e
erybody in Official position. But t
bill became the law. That portion of
making the increase apply to the For
Second Congress was at once denounc
in very severe terms by the public pre-
Little or no objection was made to I
prospective increase. l could not
r