The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-05-27
Last Nights Dispatches.
RE $50 NAL
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, May 25.-Mr. Spencer,
from the committee on military affairs,
reported favorably on the house joint res
olution granting the use of tents to the
soldiers reunion to be held at Des Moines,
Iowa Passed.
Mr.. Oglesby. from the committee on
public lands. reported favorably on the
house bill to provide for the publication of
notices of contest under the homestead,
pre- emption and tree culture acts. Passed.
HOUSE.
The army appropriation bill being uuder
Mr. Reagan moved an
reducing the pay fixed in the
bill as follows General OF the army, from
$l3, 500 to $4,000; lieutenant general,
from $1,000 to $4,000; major general.
from $500 to $4,000; briRadier general,
from $500 to 4,500; colonel, from $4,000
to 50, 700; major, from 81, 500 to 50, 400.
He cohtrasted the pay for civil officers in
this country aud of foreign armies with
that of American officers to show the dis
proportionate pay of the latter. He de-
MED that be was prompted by any hostility
toward the army. A
Mr., McCook suggested that members OF
congress should reduce their own pay
before attacking the pay of officers of the
army.
Mr.. Reagan's reply was to the effect
that members of congress having such
high and important duties to perform and
their votes and acts touching most vital
interests of the country, we're not too
highly paid.
Mr.. Potter intimated that Foster aud
a Reagan. Finley and Springer were
hardly entitled 10 as much pay as q
Brigadier General.
Mr.. Banning do not get it.
Mr.. Foster remarked that no one denied
that the pay of General and Lieutenant
General was too high, but that it had
been so fixed as reward for the distin-
guished services of those officers 10 putting
down the rebellion, aud he was sorry
that gentleman who had been connected
with the Confederate government should
have moved to reduce the pay of these
officers especially.
Mr. Banning remarked that the Confed-
eracy knew the need of economy.
Mr. Garfield DO you speak for it2
Mr.. Banning-Yes, l speak for it in
that respect, and for your government too.
MIR. McCook-Call it ours
Mr.. Foster-The people will consider the
-edu"tion of pay as all cant, unless you
take hold of your own salaries aud reduce
them.
Mr.. Harrison-The gentleman is less
particular as to the salary of members
since the redistricting ofOhio. daughter,
Mr.. Reagan replied to Mr.. Foster s
intimation about the Confederacy, and
claimed that all members we're on the
same footing, and had the same rights and
duties
Mr.. Bragg moved to amend by fixing
the pay OF General at $4,000; of the
Lieutenant General at $4,000: Of Major
General at 5000; Brigadier-General,
$4,000, etc.
Mr.. Reagan accepted the amendment as
substitute for his own.
Mr.. Williams, of Michigan. argued
against any reduction below the sums
| fixed 10 the bill
Mr.. Banning read from the testimony
of Gen. Sherman in 1876 to the effec
that whenever the greenback and god
dollar were on an quality the pay Of army
officers might be reduced fifteen or twenty
per cent.
Mr. Banning said member who shake
! the bloody shirt 10 the face of coDteder
ate resorts to unworthy argument. Th
people we're tired of it and wanted reduces
expenditures
A discussion ensued between Messrs
Fisher, hewitt aud Tucker regarding th,
attempt 10 cut down salaries OF member
lssi year, which was defeated in tn
senate
Mr.. Foster said it was great farce O
fho ,Ft IL .ah eoo-aol-
any interest in the matter after it cam
back from the senate
i The discussion having closed, the com
mittee voted on Mr Bragg's amendment
as accepted by Mr., Reagan. The vot
on the reduction of the salary of gener;
to $l1 ,009 was 60 for to 81 against. A
other clauses 10 tn, amendment we're ais
rejected aud the pay OF officers stands &
fixed in the bill.
Longevity pay. which is to be ten pc
cent for every term of five years serviC
not to exceed 10 the aggregate forty pc
} cent.
Ga motion of Mr.. Dunnell lougevit
pay was also extended to chaplains, WI
had been excluded by the bill
No change was made iH sections as
f. fuel and forage. fuel to te allowed at rat
OF So per cord of oak wood and an equiv,
lent rate for other kinds of fuel, az
forage iu kind to be issued only for horse
owned and actually kept by officers in IL
performance of their official military dutie
The las: section OF the bill require
quarters Ia kind to be furnished in publ
6 barracks, where there are any. and whe
there are none then the rate of allowanC
8 for rooms is not to exceed SO per room d.
: month, the number of rooms being fxe
By the existing law according tn rank, Il
{ communication for quarters to the geuer
q to be $l25 a month and to the ieutenal
general at the rate OF $54 month.
No change was made in this section.
Mr.. Marsh offered as a new section
: provision that the promotion of commi
!. stoned officers shall be lineal through :
grades up to colonel.
i Mr.. Marsh made point of order, whit
was sustained, that this was new leglsI
/ tion aud therefore out of order.
o Mr.. Cox. of New ork, offered as a ne
section provision prohibiting musicia
or other enlisted men from engaging
their business for hire or .emolument, al
he sent to the clerks desks and had re-
!, a remoDstrance on the subject from mu:
!. clans OF New York. The amendment "
. adopted 81 to 73.
= = Mr.. Scales, chairman of the commit
= !; on Indian affairs, offered as an amendme
= . new section transferring the charge
Indian affairs from the interior departure
to the war department. The usual poi
Of order was made by Mr.. Hale. and "
), argued at great length, the republica
: generally opposing, the democrats, exec
:. Harris and Cox, of New York, advocate
- the amendment.