The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-25

change IN the salaries OF the members
first, because it was thing which ough
not to be stirred up for politica
purposes, and second, because he thought
on the whole it was as near right as il
could be got. He entirely respected and
honored the position Of the gentleman
from Pennsylvania (Randall) when he
said that he yielded his individual iudg'
ment in matter where he was personally
concerned to the general sentiment Of the
people, and he sympathized with him
very much when, on being asked what he
had done with the money, he replied that
It was none Of the business Of the Ques.
toner. A very good answer.
Mr.. Randall explained that the diff.
Guilty with which the committee had met
was, that il the other salaries were re.
duced, and not the salaries OF the mem.
bers, they would be chargeable with in.
consistency. He had great respect for
the views OF tho gentleman from Massa.
chusctts (Hoar), yet his argument would
really 60 to show that no salary ought
to be reduced. 1t seemed to him that
there was but one safe, firm ground on
which TO stand, and that was TO apply the
same measure OF reduction to all salaries.
The House could not go through the re-
ductions proposed il it did not reduce
the salaries Of its own members.
Mr.. Harrison, OF Illinois, opposed Mr..
Fosters amendment and favored the re-
ductiOn proposed in this bill. They could
not 60 before their constituents and de.
fend themselves unless they cut down
their own salaries approximately.
Mr.. Caswell characterized the bill as
the completion Of inconsistency and in
sincerity.
Mr.. Blount defended the action Of the
Committee on Appropriations, and said
that the committee had assented to all
proper and reasonable propositions on
the part Of the Departments. The bill
made reduction Of at least S5,O00,000,
and ii this reduction were accomplished,
then it would be in vain for the members
on the other side to quote the speeches Of
the Chairman Randall.) The country
would understand that as deception he
had heard predictions Of failure Of the
bill, but il there was any failure, the
Democratic side Of the House would not
be responsible for it.
Mr.. Hill moved to make a reduction
OF salaries, 10 commence on the 4th OF
March 1877, and agreed with Mr.. Hoar
that twas indecent for the members OF
Congress to be squabbling over their own
pay, and his (Hills) amendment would
obviate that difficulty by making the
reduction TO apply to next Congress.
The question being on Mr.. Fosters
amendment, Mr.. Foster asked Mr.. Ran
dali to allow vote by yeas and nays in
the House.
Mr.. Randall said that in this langu-
age OF the bill, he was unwilling to depart
from the usual routine.
Mr.. Foster-There is no rule against
that.
Mr.. Randall-Well the usual practice.
Mr.. Foster-Will you allow me to Of
fer an amendment in the House.
Mr.. Randall am not so instructed
by the committee. Laughter on the Re.
publican side.l Twill vote tor it.
Mr.. Townsend had no hesitation in de-
claring himself opposed to the amend
ment Of the gentleman from Ohio (Fos-
teri. il he was opposed TO the proposition
OF the Committee. He had come here un-
der substantial contract between him
and the people that he was to be allowed
$1,000 year for his services, and he was
unwilling to allow any set Of persons to
practice reputation on him now.
Laughter.l He did not believe that the
people desired TO give over their destinies
to professional politicians or to the rich.
He wished he was rich, too. The pres
ent salary was not too much for any man
who could not live out Of his private
means, or ont OF post traderships, or out
OF railroad grants, and there was not
enough OF them to go round. Laug hter.
II the members were to live at all, and
settle with their clearinghouse keepers
and washerwomen, they would never re-
ducc their salaries. [Laugh,er.l
The question was then taken on Fos-
ter's amendment, 10 fix the pay at 81, 200,
and it was rejected, there being but "a
votes in the Affirmative.
The amendment offered by Hill was also
rejected.
Mr.. Kelly moved TO strike out $4,000
and insert $1,000, and spoke in favor Of
that motion.
Mr.. O'Brien supported Kelly's motion
and expressed the belief that the reduc-
tions in the bill would interfere with the
ordinary routine OF the Government.
Mr.. Holmes argued that the adoption
OF Kelly's amendment would be virtual
abandonment Of every proposition Of re-
trenchment. He thought that salary OF
$1,000 for members would conform more
to the salaries paid by States than salary
OF $1,000 and he would be glad TO see it
reduced 10 that figure.
Mr.. Douglass moved to fix the salaries
at $4,000.
Mr.. o'Brien argued that reduction OF
salaries was not demanded by any public
sentiment, and said it vas a small matter
as compared with the fraud to which the
gentleman from Indiana had already
pledged bis support, He referred TO that
gentleman as being nominally Vice
Chairman OF the Committee on Appropri-
ations but practically leader Of that COM
mittee. He Holman) was the kite and the
rest OF the committee were the tail, and on
tha. tail was emblazoned.the shibboleth
OF economy while at the same time that
gentleman was pledged to vote for bill
that would take one hundred million dol
lars out OF the treasury.
Mr.. Holman-What bill is that?
Mr.. O'Brien-The bounty bill, which
you are pledged tosupport,
NJ. Holman-Why, certainly l am for
that. Laughter.
Mr.. UBrien-The gentleman from In
diana proposed a reduction Of salaries,
while he would take one hundred mil.
lions at one sweep in the way Of bounties
to the soldiers, who have already been
overpaid.
Mr. Holman defended his position on
the subject Of the bounty bill, and eulo-
gised the brave men who had so nobly
fought the battles OF the late war, and to
whose perils and sacrifices the country
was indebted for the maintainance OF the
Union; and he expressed his indignation
that such a bill should be characterized
as a gigantic fraud.
After stormy struggle over the ques-
tion OF adjournment till Monday and an
alternative OF n session for debate for TO.
morrow, tho former prevailed through
the persistency OF Mr.. Page, and the
unusn odiournpd till Monday.