Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-12-19
g.
The Pay Question.

The Legislature adjourned sine die
on Thursday last and the appropriation
bill, having been passed over the Gov
ernors veto, the members received
their pay from the State Treasurer and
by Friday evening al had left for their
respective homes.
The appropriation bill provided pay
for the entire session OF lS2 days, and
this left the question entirely with the
~onsciences of members as to whether
or not they would take pay for the ref
cess of eleven days at the opening
the session and for days in which they
were absent attending to their own
private business Over half of the
members of the House had no conscien-
tious scrupIes against taking the entire
sum, including mileage and allowance
Of ten dollars each for stationery.
Among this number we lind the name
of Representative Gates CT this county.
The record shows that he voted against
the appropriation bill on final passage,
as reported from the Committee of
Conference, and also against passing
the item containing pay for members
and Senators over the veto. He was
one OF the twenty-five members who
voted 10 sustain the veto, and OF course
his vote was given on the ground that
the veto was right and just and the
bill wrong Yet he took pay for every
day, mileage, and the allowance for
stationary, amounting in all to 81 go
for the special session, notwithstanding
the raGt' that De was absent twenty
two days in which the House was in
session It is true the law gave him
the sum stated, and had be supported
the appropriation bill which provided
for lis pay, no exception could have
been taken to his action on legal
grounds, but bis inconsistency in op-
posing the bill On the ground that it
was wrong, and then taking every
cent Of his pay as provided for by the
bill, places him in position which, to
say the least, will prove embarrassing
and require explanation. Captain Has
son opposed the appropriation bill and
voted against the measure as reported
from the Committee of Conference, CT
which be was a member, yet he took
his pay, mileage and stationery, turn
ing back into the Treasury $l10 for the
eleven days Of recess taken at the open
ing of the session. He was generally
in bis seat during sessions of the House
and but for his Inconsistency in oppos-
ing the ill, his action in reference to
the question vi pay would not have
been questioned Representative HUI
ings, we understand, will take pay only
for the number of days he was actually
in attendance during sessions Of the
House. Representative Crawford, of
Philadelnhia, is the only member of the
House who returned ali of his pay to
the Treasury.
In the Senate, nearly all the men,
bers returned to the Treasury $40 pay
allowed for the recess, and many refus-
ed to take pay for days they were alb
sent. Senator Lee covered into the
Treasury $500, refusing to taAe pay Tor
any time after September 10th, when
resolution was passed by both Senate
and House instructing the appropria-
ton eoml4illses to report bills pToVid7
ing for pay only to that date. He also
refused to take pay for the recess of
eleven days. Senators Emery, of Nc
Kean and Coke, of Luzerne, returned
all Of their pay to the Treasury. Sen
ator Kennedy, of Philadelphia, took
pay only for the days he was present
during the session. - Fen0ngo Citizen.