The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-09-16

Nor long since very prominent and
active Democrat of Wellington was
heard to say that he had nothing to saw
against the character of Gen. Garfield
except his conn ection with the salary
grab business. 1t would seem that
Gariield's connection with that affair
had been so often explained that even a
wayfaring man might understand it,
and that it could by no possibility be
| charged that there was anything dis
honorable in his conduct In brief, It
may be stated that he opposed the back
pay clause fthe appropriation bill from
the beginning, voting against it in the
committee eighteen times, and only
voting for it on its final passage, under
protest, because it WAS in the last hours
OF the session, and because to de-
feat it would be to defeat the other
items of one of the most Important bills
of the session. He gave notice ut that
time that he should move for its repeal
at the earliest opportunity, and he
afterward made his promise good. He
also drew his back pay, and promptly
returned 1t to the treasury. These state
ments ought TO satisfy any reasonable
man, aud they will. There are, how
ever, some very curious bits of history
in connection with this same salary
grab business which cur Democratic
friends may not remember, or remem-
bering, would prefer to have kept in
the dark. The salary bill was the work
of B. F. Butler, a man who, at that
time, was professedly q Republican. but
whose career has since proved him to
be any thing else but one. He has been
as thoroughly despised and hated by
the Democracy as any man living, but
has lately gone over to that party body
and soul and been cordially welcomed
and embraced. His bill had both friends
and enemies in both political parties,
bur for the benefit of those p;ous Demo-
Gratis who are so righteously indignant
over what they term the " Republican
salary steal," it would be interesting to
inquire how each party stood on that
question. The Leader has taken the
pains to look up the record, and the fol.
lowing Is the result upon the final vote
in the Senate: OF the Republicans 42 a
per cent, of the Democrats 5SS pei
cent, and of the Liberals so per cent
were in favor OF the bill, the Senate
being composed of 81 Republicans, Il
Democrats and Liberals. The vote OF
the House In its favor was 1914 per cent
Republican, Asa per cent. Democratic
. and GO per cent Liberal, the membership
, being 134 Republicans, 1O4 Democrats
} and 8 Liberals. 1t appears that much
/ the larger percentage of Democrats In
both houses voted in favor of the TO-
| crease salary clause. In both parties
were men who were opposed 10 it, but
who felt compelled to favor it solely for
! the purpose OF saving the legislative,
, executive and judicial bill, and with an
, eye to its repeal at future time. These
returned their share of the money to the
treasury as soon as drawn, as did also
! others who were coerced by public
! opinion. A full list of names and
amounts shows that on the Republican
side of the Senate 40.3 per cent. re-
turned the money, and only 29.4 per
cent on the Democratic side. Repub-
lican Representatives returned 3S.7 per
cent. of the back salary drawn, while
the Democratic returned only 14.4 pei
T cent. To put it in another way: Re.
publican Senators and Representative:
returned $223, 3,3G1.2i, and Democratic
, Senators and Representatives, $S3 SIC
Add Schurz, Summer, Fenton and
Farnsworth to the Republican list,
where they properly belong, and the
. amount returned by Republicans
amounts 10 s236, ,357.66. This shows
which party has the greater percentage
of honesty, and also shows the pro-
. priety OF members of the Democratic
party turning up their eyes i'm pious
horror at what they denoninate the
"infamous salary steal" of the Repub.
licans. We have no excuse for the Re.
publicans who sinncd, but when ouI
, Democratic friends attempt to draw
companions and by contrast show their
immaculate purity and fitness to admin
lister this government, we must ask
them to look at their record. And now
will the Constitution, which is spelling
to expose rascality and bring in n reign
of political honesty, give its readers the
/. figures? just give them practical
illustration that will show them in
which party is the greater percentage
of dishonesty and corruption.