New-York tribune., 1878-04-30


are auickened to confess the Sins of other peo-
pie. Similarly the Democratic party, ami
mated by the purpose of reform, are moved
to eliminate the offices held by their op-
ponents, and rigbteOusly reduce all salaries but
their own. Hence we have the inspiriting
spectacle of a perfectly homogeneous moral
and political condition. We are exercising in
the highest degree a beautiful ObliviOusness OF
self when, i'm the interests of morality, we con-
fess the sins of our neighbors and in the
interests of reform cut down the pay of our
opponents. More than this, we are making
confession easy and agreeable, and investing
the policy of retrenchment and reform with
charms that render it irresistible Let us be
very thankful that confession and retrench-
ment have been made so easy and attractive,
instead of being humiliating and Improbable.
We do not, we say, find fault with the
Committee on Appropriations who have given
us this plan of retrenchment, or with their
chairman, Mr. Atkins, who so ably defends it.
But we do not quite understand that part OF
the gentlemans speech of last Saturday, in
which he gives the reason for not reducing
the salaries of Senators and Representatives.
He says these salaries were reduced by
the repeal of the act of March 3, 1873, which
is true enough. The act of 1878 had in
creased them. Are we to understand this as
a part of the new system, that when IL Is
deemed undesirable to retrench in fact sala-
ries are first increased and then an apparent
retrenchment effected by repeating the act
making the increase That's ingenious, too, and
we rather admire it. Besides, he says the Forty
third and Forty-fourth Congresses discussed
the subject until the country was Disguised,
and the people are entirely satisfied with the
present compensation. That isn't bad, either.
Congress first increases its own pay and raises
row; then repeals the increase, and for fear
of another call for retrenchment, it agitates
the subject until the country is disgusted and
the people say, "FOr the sake of peace let
"the salaries remain as they are. Don't, oh
"don't reopen the question" Congress could
hardly have managed this matter more
shrewdly had 1t gone about it a-purpose."
And Mr.. Atkins was very good to explain 1t
all so clearly. But what cOnfuses us is
the statement of Mr.. Atkins that the
"mcn who have the qualities of head
"and heart to represent the intelligence,
"majesty, dignity and sovereignty OF the
"peOple ought to have talents that
"woud command, in the business walks OF
"lifc, more clear profit than the most eco
"nomical and frugal Senator or Representa-
"tive realized out of his salary" This is
somewhat intricate. Between the qualities
of head and heart that they have, and the
talents they ought to have, and the clear profit
realized out Of tlH salary, we have some
difficulty in rescuing the sense, but we
have a vague notion that Mr.. Atkins meant
to say that Congressmcn ought to have talents
that would command larger pay in the busi-
ness walks of life than they now get as Con-
gressmen And we are inclined TO congratulate
him upon his choice of language. Ought to
have" is just as good as it can be. 1t saves the
truth. "Do have 4" would have spoiled every
thing, for then disagreeable people would have
been asking him to count up on his fingers the
number of members whose talents would bring
them higher pay in any other walk OF life.
And it is never pleasant to be interrupted.
Mr.. Atkins himself is of the opinion that the
bugbcar Of resumption is all that keeps tie
country back now that if we could only es-
tabish system OF issuing new promises in
definitely in fulflment of old ones, aud reduce
the tax on those two prime necessaries OF
life. whiskey and tobacco, we should be on the
high road to prosperity and everything hum
ming That's the kind of talents and quail
ties of head and heart we have at the head of
the important Appropriations Committee of the
present Congress. And Mr. Atkins thinks those
talents and qualities would command
in the business walks of life more clear profit
than he can save out of his salary as Con-
gresham. Possibly. But it occurs to us that
there are not many business walks of life just
at present in which the talent for not meeting
obligations commands high salary.