The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-06-19
GARFIELD AND THE SALARY GRAB.

GARFIELD AND THE SALARY GRAB.
There is at least one sin charged agains
Gen. Garfield of which the Ottawa RepubIica,
ventures to say he is innocent, That is, tina
he supported and voted for the salary grab
! The whole history Of the action of congress or
that subject is given in a pamphlet issued by
! W. ). Robinson the famous " Warrington" o.
the Springfield Mass Republican, and as the
pamphlet was issued solely to iniure Gen
Butler, the acknowledged father of the salary
grab, the name Of Gen. Garfield occurs in il
only incidentally, and without prejudice, and
therefore beyond doubt, truthtuly, and the OK
act measure of his responsibility for that piece
| of legislation Is therefore no doubt gwen with
strict accuracy.
Every portion Of the pamphlet IN which
| Gen Gariield's name occurs Is published in
yesterdays Chicago TtmcS to which the reader
is referred if he questions any ofthe statements
here made.
From that history it appears that the grab
first appeared in the house Feb. eth, 1872
when it was introduced by Mr.. Butler from
the judiciary committee, in connection with a
bill to increase the salaries Of the executive
judicial and legislative officers of the govern.
ment. The judiciary committee, to which 1t
was referred appear not to have favored the
grab, and we next hear of it on the 10Th OF
February when Mr.. Butler moved that the
committee on appropriations (Garfields com
mItteel be directed to include it in the miscel
laneou3 appropriation bill. The proposition
then was to fix the pay of members of con
grcss at $4,000 GARFIELD OPPOSED Buffers
motion and 1t was lost 81 to 121, Garfield vot
with the nays.
We next hear of the grab Feb. oath, wher
the Legislative appropriation bill is under con
sideration IN committee Of the whole, wher
Butler moved 1t as an amendment, with the
proposed salary changed from IS 600 to $500
After some debate during which Mr.. Garfield
again opposed il, Mr. Buffers motion was agreed
by rising vote of 81 to CO; but when The
committee rose and the house came to vote
on the question by yeas and nays it was reject
ed yeas SO, nays l2l, Garfield voting no. But
Ter moved reconsideration and then, to pre-
vent motion to lay the motion on the table
which would have clinched the rejection otth'
grab, he moved to adjourn, and this was car
ried, Garfield again voting no.
! March 1st Buffers motion to reconsider
came up and was agreed to-yeas 1914 nays 10
The salary was then changed from $500 tt
! sc, 500 and passed, Garfield voting against it
and in this form the bill went to the senate
The senate struck out the $4,000 and inserted
81 800, and 1t coming back to the house thu
changed that body rejected the amendmen
and 1t went to conference committee, o
which Garfield, on the part of the house, wa
one of the members.
On reporting back the bill from the confer
ence committee, Mr.. Garfield SAID:
Iwish to state in few words the condition
Of that SALARY increase) question in the confer
encc The senate ContereeS were unanimou
in favor of fixing the salary at s. 500. and cut
ting off all allowance, excepting actual indl
vidual travelling expenses of member iron
, his home to Washington and back again once
a session. That proposition was agreed to by
a majority of the conterees on the part OF thu
. house. | was opposed to the increase i'll thu
conference, as | have been opposed to it IN TIT
discussion and in my votes here; but my asso
: CIate cOntereeS were IN favor OF the senate
amendment, and | was compelled to choos
between signing the report and running TIT
risk of bringing on an extra session OF con
gress. signed the report, and present 1t a
is and ask the house To act on II in accord
ance with Its best judgment.
After some debate the house voted on adopt
ing the report of the conference committe
and it was agreed to-yeas 90, nays 27-Gar
fields name appearing among the YEAS.
Thus it appears, after all, that Mr.. Garfield
PLAYED the sneak in the matter. He vote
against the grab at every stage except the tina
and decisive one, when he voted FOX H. Ill
PLAYED more than the part of sneak-he als'
showed himself a coocdrd; for when, lev
t months later, he found himself candidate 70
reelection, he met such an cutlery agains
, the grab in his district, that he walked up I
the L. S. treasury and paid back the money
t tina, is, he paid back 1880 the amount Of tn
back pay it Involved, accepting the $500 a
, nav from and after the day on which the bi
went into effect If the republicans can e'
+ tract anything favorable from such recort
they are welcome to it.
THE GREENBACKERs.
7 We mentioned IN our last the meeting of
D National convention of the greenbackers