Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-01-23
COLUMBUS.
An Exciting Debate on a County
Fee and SALARY Bill.

Special to the Cleveland Herald.
COLUMBUS, Jan. 15.-The liveliest discus
sion of the session occurred this morning in
the House on the report of the committee on
Mr.. Thorpe's resolution on fees and salaries
As will be remembered, the resolution is as
follows: That as natural sequence of the
restoration Of specie payments the burden of
taxation ought to be greatly reduced, and that
the Committee on Fees and Salaries and the
Committee on Finance be and they are here
by instructed to report a reduction in the ex-
penditures of the State, including the fees and
salaries of the public officers that are fixed by
the General Assembly, proportionate to the
reduction in the-price of labor and its pro-
ducts. The Committee on Fees and Salaries
returned the bill 20 the House without re-
commendation, and the question of its adop-
tion came up.
Mr.. Thorpe arose and with eloquence advo-
Gated the adoption of his offspring, going on
to show the great necessity for some reduction
in the salaries of public officers and reduc-
ton in the enormous burden of taxation now
imposed upon the people.
Mr.. Van Cleaf offered an amendment to the
resolution, cutting out the reference to the re-
sumption of specie payments and the reduc-
ton of the amount Of taxation. The amend
ment was adopted by vote of Sc to 16.
Mr.. Alexander, the gentleman from Bel
mont, who is always on hand on the subject
of economy, arose and went booming into the
subject, favoring the resolution or anything
of the kind that would reduce salaries.
Doc. Norton arose and interrupted the
speaker in the midst of one Of the widest
blasts, asking him about some clerkshlp down
in Belmont county, but received nothing but
the scathing remark ''that he would be glad
if the gentleman from Seneca were as deter
mined on the matter of economy as he Qhe
speaker was" The gentleman from Belmont
went on to say that he thought that the public
officers were the servants, not the masters,
the people; of the salaries being nominal and
30 low that they would not be sought after,
and of public officer being laborer in the
employ of the people.
Mr.. Estill made few remarks upon the
subject, and had hardly taken his seat when
the abbreviated form of Doc. Norton hove in
sight, and braeing upin front Of the Speak
er's desk, his eyes flashing fire before which
the House quailed, waded into the member
from Belmont somewhat as follows
"The gentleman from Belmont says that
have not been as energetic in this matter as it
behooves me to be- 1t may be true, but am
sick of hearing all this sickly sentimentality
about economy and reduction in fees and
salaries. l am sick of seeing capitalists come
upon this floor and talk 80 strenuously of the
necessity OF reduction in salaries and see
the same capitalists go into the committee and
work for hours in the interest of a great COR
poration as against the interests of the labor
ing classes"
The remark is supposed to refer to the
fight which Alexander made in committee last
winter against Lords bill to use the rails and
other appurtenances of railroads which had
been placed in the hands of assignees, to pay
wages of laborers and employees who had
been deprived of their pay by the assignment
of the corporation.
Dr. Norton further stated that he was in
favor of any measure containing just discrim-
ination in the matter of cutting offices and
salaries, but such sweeping measures he would
not endorse.
The member from Belmont having fled on
the conclusion of his own speech thus saved
himself from utter anninlation and the ne
cessity of the Sergeant-at-Arms carrying his
mangled corpse off the field. He came UP
smiling soon after this speech of the infuri
ated physician, and after dinner they both
shook hands, and there is every evidence thai
the same side of the House will hold them.