Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-03-28
Pay Of Members.

Major b. b. Douglas, OF Virginia, We under
stand favors reduction ct the salary OF mem
bers of Congress to s. 5000 81 600 per aunum,
and reduction also Of 50 per cent on mileage,
while, at the same time, he f.vors a restoration
| of the Franking privilege. During the debate
on the Legislative Appropriation bill iu the
House. 90 Friday last, Mr. Douglas said:
] desire to move an amendt Eent to the amend
ment r. l could have obtained the recognition
of the Char, ] would have moved, IN antlclpa-
ton of what has Hen from the gentleman from
Indiana, Mr.. Holman] III amendr' ent reducing
the compensation o. members CT Congress 70
So elO year the sum indicated by him do
not intend to raise tn. question here nr to dis
cuss it when raised BY the gentleman from New
York Mr.. Townsend and Others rs to rich men
or poor men. | have heard that nd nausesm.
I say to the gentleman from New York that, 81
far AS this SIDE of the House is CONCERNED, espe
cially the Southern clement Of it, "Ye have the
poor with you always" l believe that can
live here very resDectsbly on the sum l have
AMID l am certain that no member upon
this or on either side of the 10 .n aisle n roed
higher compensation than that and, If the
means anything at all, it means that 1t is an ex-
preston Of the demand Of the peope of this
country for retrcnchmcnt and reform. shall
net 20 into the question rs to how the extrava-
ga expenditures that have prevailed here for
years past especially since the close of the war,
have been kept up Blu, | know one thing, that
in that section Of the country which | in part
represent standing in the presence Of q dimn
hing revenue and the pAraiyz d Industries al
over the county, with constant decline IN the
expense of iving. the people did demand, in
" CO th.t must be heard here and elsewhere,
that there should be retrrnchment in the ex-
pendtures OF this Government. M equanimity
will not he vt all disturbed by any tsunts about
my sincerity. | will let that question be tested
by my acts ] will respond to the demands If
my constituents and # the people OF this coun-
try r rctreuchmenl N this Government, IN
cry branch Of it the legislative a. we'll a. the
Others l WAS Of the opinion that the principle
e-unciated in thu am niment of the gentleman
from Georges. Mr. Hill WAS correct, and that it
wks IN Indecent thing for US to be sttin; here
celebrating upon tie matter of our own coln-
pensation, whether to increase or to diminish 1t.
But bow to tho decision Of the majority of this
ii use They have determined 10 Retain that
feature in the pending bill which allows US to
pass upon that question. If cannot carry my
measure am in favor o: carrying that which
will most nearly Approximate to it. II | C ,nnot
carry anything that more nearly approaches tho
realization f my ideas, l will accept the propo-
sitlun o; the Committee on appropriations l
N We to amend the amendment If the gentleman
from Maryland Mr.. o. BrienJ ny str king out
80 600 and inserting in lieu 81, 600 "
CANAL FREIGHTs. The Cumberland New.
OF yesterday says: For soDe days past it
has been indefinitely rumnred that the boat
men, or a large lumber Of them. would make
propositions 10 carry coal to Georgetown at one
dollar per ton, aud it was even stated that such
propositions were madc to the NJ lryland and
Consolidation coal companies. b. that as it
may, on Saturday morning the agent of the
Consolidation Coal Company, called together
number Of the b0atmen OF that COMPANY aud
informed them that if they we're willing to load
at one dollar per ton his company would con-
mence shipments at that price, 90 Monday
(ths) morning, at the rate OF at least three
boat loads per day. Several hours after he
was waited upon by the boatmen, who express
ed their entire willingness TO go To work at the
rate Damed. Coal was accordingly ordered
from the mines, aud the shipment of three
boats per day will begin this morning. This
Is ten ceots less than ever WAS paid on the can
all the lowest before having been 81 10 per
ton, pal! just before the war. Not single
person interviewed by the reporter had aoy
other opinion than that the reduction was ony
temporary on; that the bo4tmen could, with
the great s. care and eco omy u k, at best,
only their ruunng excuses, aud that the re
duction was altogether out Of proportion TO that
10 other bra 1ches of tie trade Last year the
minimum freight paid WAS $ l5-to George
iowa, FIVE cents being added 10 Al :udrla. !
Doe OF the parties Interested 10 the coai bust
oeSs expressed the opluiou that the great re-
ducilap was a movement to force an lssu, be-
tween ali the companies AID their ooatmeu,
aud by unse,tllng trsghts, bring about lair
and equitable scale Of prices. Most OF those
speaking upon the subj ct gave 90 opinion,
but all showed 40 astonlshneut that will be |
general this morning. |