The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-25
ByTeIegraph
ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT.
10 THE DAILY LNTELLIGENCER
co N c r E S S.
HOUSE.
WAsHtSoroS.iNfarch "a.

nSCSIIs
WASHINGTON, March "a.
Mr.. Holman presented memorial o
the Womens Temperance League, OF In
diana, asking the Legislature to promote
the temperance cause in the UniteC
States, Referred.
Mr.. Blount, from the Committee or
Appropriations, reported bill to supply
deficiency OF $4,000 for the manulac
ture Of postal cards for the year ending
January 3Oth, 1876. Passed.
Mr.. Wiltshire, from the Committee or
Indian Affairs, reported bill to provide
territorial government for the Indian
territory, and moved to have il recon-
mitted.
Mr.. Southard moved to refer it to the
Committee on Territories. After dis
cussion, the bill was referred to the Com.
mittee on Indian Affairs. The Speaker
then called the Committees for their re.
ports OF private nature.
Tne House went into Committee Of the
Whole, Mr.. Cox in the chair, on the leg
islative, executive and judicial appropri.
alton bill, with the understanding that
general debate would be limited TO one
hour.
THE SALARY QUESTION.
Mr.. Hurlbut, Of Illinois, replied to the
invectives which had been poured against
the Republican party by the gentlemen
from Georgia and North Carolina Hill
and Yeates) and criticised the speech OF
the gentleman from Georgia as an aston
ishing parody on the parable Of the prod.
igal son, with the difference that the
prodigal son asked his fathers forgive
ness while the Southern people did not.
lie said he believed that there existed a
division to this day in the public senti.
ment Of this country, between those who
believed that the levying OF the war was a
crime and those who did not so believe
and that it existed as strong as it did in
1854 and 1865. He then proceeded to ar.
que against the reduction OF salaries Of
officials.
Mr.. KaSson suggested that in the mat
ter OF economy the majority Of the House
wanted to go possibly tee-iar, and the mi.
nority possibly not far enough. lie pro.
posed to sec il there was not some ground
on which careful and prudent men on
both sides could combine in considering
this bill. In proceeding 10 discuss the
reduction Of salaries, he declared that he
would a thousand times rather strike
down the compensation Of members OF
Congress to what it was prior to 1860
touch the poor pay OF the
various employees Of the Government, who
are only receiving now the same rs they
received thirty years ago. He would no;
touch those old established salaries. The
proposed reductions in the Treasury De-
partment, meant not retrenchment but
The fact was that the
on Appropriations in report.
ing this bill struck down the force OF the
without the approval and
consent OF the Departments, and in some
Instances without consulting them.
At the close OF Mr.. Kasson's speech the
proceeded TO consider the bill
in detail, the item for the compensation OF
Senators having been read, which fixes
the salary at 81, 800, Mr.. Baker moved TO
reduce it to $1,000. Rejected.
Mr.. Foster moved 10 reduce it TO
S2,700, and intimated to the Democratic
majority il it wanted to be consistent, it
should vote for the reduction to S2,700.
Mr.. Randall-Why did you not pro.
pose that amendment in the committee
instead Of resisting the reduction OF the
paltry 10 per cent we have made?
Mr.. Foster--I am not to be- catechised
on the floor.
Mr.. Randall want to show the coun-
try and the House the inconsistency, the
Of the gentleman from Ohio in
coming in here and offering an amend
ment 10 reduce the salaries OF members to
$1,000, while he resisted in the commit
tee a reduction OF $500.
Mr.. Foster-I have good answer to
the attack.
Mr., Randall-Ihave made no attack.
Mr.. Foster-You have charged me
with duplicity and inconsistency.
Mr.. 'Randall-There is no sincerity in
your amendment, and you do not expect
il to be adopted.
Mr.. Foster-Try, and sec.
Mr.. Randall-Ihe Committee on Ap-
preparations has fixed the compensation
OF the members where think the people
will be satisfied.
Mr.. Foster asserted that he offered the
ingoOd faith, as he did every
thing. There was no demagoguing about
him, and the gentlemen all knew it.
There was no consistency in this bill
unless the salaries OF the members we're
reduced to $1,000, as that would be a
reduction Of 10 per cent on the salaries as
fixed when the clerks salaries in the De-
partment were fixed. He regretted ex-
ceedingly that the Chairman Of the Com
mittee (Randall) had made this assault
on him so early in the debate. That the
gentleman's own consistency could be
called into question more than that ofany
other member Of the House. Up TO a
year ago that gentleman had been an ad-
vocate Of high salaries, and his marvel
lous conversion had taken place since
that time. He gave him credit for an
honest conversion, but he did mol want
him or any other gentleman TO strive to
deter him (Foster) from an homes: dis
charge othis duties by a charge Of dupli-
city,
Mr. Baker, OF Indiana, said he had
pledged 10 his constituents TO use his
voice and vote in the direction Of re-
economy and reform, and he
intended, with all honesty and good faith,
to redeem that pledge. The Democratic
majority reminded him in this bill Of
Artemus Ward who was willing to sacri-
fee on the altar Of his country all his
wiie's relations. Laughter.
Mr.. White, after fling at the chief
clerk OF the House and At Mr.. Randall
for having ouce alluded to him as mis-
cradle man, declared himself in favor Of
all reductions that were necessary for the
proper and economical administration OF
The Government. The Democratic ma
iority in the House reminded him OF the
Jew peddler who accounted for selling
his goods at ten per cent below cost on
the ground that the goods belonged to u
rich uncle OF his whom he wanted to
break up.
Mr.. Chitenden declared himself as
earnestly and conscientiously in favor OF
every possible economy, because no man
could foretell how the Government was
TO meet its expenses. He warned mem.
bers that II they reduced the salaries
OF Government officials below a point
which would sustain them respecta-
bly, and not reduce their own salaries
- ,ko .ona ,1o;nt thA nonbtrv tpnuIJ