The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-08-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WAsHIAeroN, D. c.,
Ano. 10Th. 1850.

From our Regular Correspondent.
WAsHIAGroN, D. c.,
Aug. 10th, 1850.
The Republican parry has been
won't to accuse the Democrats while
in power of adding enormously to
the public burden, and vauuts itself
upon its economy in public expend-
lures. An investigation of the
claims of the Republican party may
be of some interest as well as sur
prise 10 some of your readers.
The wal burdened the country
with an enormous debt and a griey-
Gus system of taxation. These mat
tiers demanded at the hands of faith
full representatives in Congress a rig
id and effective system of reform and
retrenchment in the public expendi-
lures. With this immense debt over
hanging US and a burden of taxation
that it was almost unable TO pay, the
Republican party having the Execu-
live, and control of both Houses of
Congress, on the 3rd of March, 1878,
the act commonly known as the
"Salary grab" was passed, the same
being reported by Gen. Garfield,
then Chairman of the Committee on
Appropriations. By this measure
the salary of the President was in
creased from $4,000 to $4,000 per
annum. Cabinet officers to $40, 600
a year. Chief Justice of the SUI
preme court $10,5 500 and tue nine
Associate Judges to $4,000 a year
each. The salary of the Speaker of
the House of Representatives to $1O,-
600, and that of each Senator and
member of the House to $500.
This upon the 3rd day of March,
1878, when Congress was just expir-
ing, the members of which had al
ready served their two years, at q
fixed salary of $4,000 a year. This
act was made retroactive, and gave
to each member of Congress $4,000
extra for the two years just served
in addition to the $4,000 stated sal
airy. The unjust and warranted
measure was enacted when the ma
tion was groaning under an already
enormous burden. The amount of
this salary grab can be summed up
as follows:
5000 additional to $3.50 members OF
Congress ,UUI
Addition TO Presidents
salary 25,O0C
Addition to Judges of Su-
preme Court. ...... 1880
Addition Cabinet officers. 14,00(
Besides this the salaries of all Ght
employees of the House and Senate
were increased, so as to aggregate
$780, 00. So that the increase in sal
aries made in I'll and '73 amounteI
in round numbers to $2,000,0 O0.
The compensation of the Senator;
and Representatives in Congress.
was formerly fixed at $500 per day
and mileage. In 1857 it was mad,
$4,000 a year and mileage. In 1866
both Houses and the Executive he
: ing Republican, the compensation o
! Senators and members was increased
f TO $1,000 a year and mileage. Ii
1873 the compensation was raised t.
ST, 800 a year and mileage, but il
1874 it a restored to $1,000 bu
only to appease the howl of thei
: tax ridden constituents. For man,
yeaGs the salary of The Judges ofth
Supreme court was 81, 500 and tn
Chief Justice $4,000 per year. L
. 1867 this was increased to $1,000
. and Sc, SOC. In 1871 to $4,000 AM
SIS $500, and at the same time MIN
Circuit Judgeships were created a
a salary Of $4,000 each, aggregatins
! 1884, 00. The salary of Presiden
WAS increased to $4,000 per yeal
o just at the expiration of Grants frs
!. term, giving him the benefit of VII
r increase on both terms, 100000 il
i all. In the meanwhile the expense
! of the Executive Mansion under Re
publican rule from a mere nomina
i sum run up to $4,000, and one yea
y of Grants administration they reach
ed $4,000. This is Republica
economy with a vengeance. TIN
q Presidential office costs the countr,
$1s5,000 year. This together wit
v Ohe large donations and subsidie
received by the President iron
wealthy parties aud corporation
$ made the Presidential chair, in a fl
nancial point Of view, an enviabl
one. Not only have the expenses O
our Government been greatly en-
larged under Republican rule, bu
what is still worse the pure and ele
waited bearing and patriotism Cha
formerly surrounded the Executiv
chair has given way to greed, fraud
. vice and violence.
The above is but one of the man,
expensive luxuries of a Republican
+ administration. CoRDwAlNER.
The Philadelphia Ledger that wa