The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-06-03
Forty Fourth Congress-First Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON n


WASHINGTON, D. c., June 2.
After the transaction of unimportant bust
ness the Senate at the expiration of the morn
ing hour took up the legislative appropriation
Dill and Mr.. Morrill, of Maine made an expla-
nation of it, The committee had come to the
conclusion that the obligations imposed on
Congress had not been fully met by the bill as
it came to the Senate. The House had not pro-
vlded for the salaries of civil offices as they had
been established by law, and besides all the
provisions for some bureaus had been entirely
omitted, among them the Indian bureau, the
Signal Service Corps, and Bureau of Military
Justice. Committee on Appropriations there
fore recommended nOn-concutrenco in all these
questions of reducing the salaries, and had
amended the bill accordingly. The committee
proposed to reduce the amount $780, 1893,
which was about one-half the reduction propos.
ed by the House, The committee also propos-
ed to reduce the force between 6 and
z per cent. The committee had taken the ut
most pains to ascertain the lowest point to
which the service could be reduced now They
had been in communication with the heads Of
departments, and had enjoined upon them to
make the inspection of their departments and
present to the committee figures showing the
lowest reductions which could be made.
In answer to question by Eaton, Mr.. Nor.
rlll said the whole reduction of employees au.
thorized by the bill as reported by the Commit
tee on Appropriations was 3IS.
Question being on the first amendment re-.
ported by the Committee on Appropriations to
restore the salary of senators, representatives
and delegates in Congress to $4,000 per annum
instead of $500 as proposed in the House bill,
Mr.. Sherman said he had come to the conclus-
ion to follow the recommendations of the COM
mittee and if the House insisted upon the re-
duction of all the salaries: he would stand
against it as unwise. but if the House was
willing to apply the reduction to those salaries
increased since the war and to members of
Congress to even lower figure than that nam
ed in the House bill he would vote with them
to do SO; There were other appropriation bills
where the saving could be made, The river
and harbor bill, the appropriation for public
buildings, &C., could all be reduced without
detriLnent to the public service.
Mr.. Wthers was willing to go as far as any,
one in reducing expenses, but did not think
TIE cutting down of salaries was the proper
way to do SO. La his opinion $4,000 per annum
was not too much for member of Congress.
The amendment proposed by the Committee
restoring the salary to $4,000 per annum was
agreed to without division.
The other amendments proposed by the Com
mittee on Appropriations restoring the salaries
of officers and clerks of the Senate and House
of Representatives, Capitol police and en-
ployes in the library to the amounts received
by them under the existing law, were agreed to,
as were also the amendment apprOpriating
$4,000 for the salary of the Congressional prin
ter and employees of his Office, and $500 for the
contingent expenses of that office.
When the amendment to strike out the
clause reducing the salary of the President to
$4,000 per annum from and after March L.
1877, was reached Mr.. mcCreery moved to nom
concur and said it was source of profound re-
greet that those who endeavored to curtail the
expenses of the government always started in
the wrong way or at the wrong place, He was