National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-04-05
ANrE-BEL1uM SALARIES.
About the Leveling Down OF Omcial
Salaries Proposed by Representative
gwiuburna's niII

About the Leveling Down OF Omcial
Salaries Proposed by Representative
Swinburne's Bill.
A good deal Of interest has been mani
tested in Washington aud in other sections
Of the Union to ascertain the probable fate
Of the bill introduced few days ago by
Representative Swinburne, Republican rep
resentative from the Albany IN. W dis
trict, entitled "A bill to reduce the In
come from salaries Of all public officials
whose salaries have been increased by con-
rressional enactment since 1s6O." The
whereases which precede the brief text of the
ill explain the reasons OF tho author for
suggesting the restoration OF salaries to
ante-bellum rates, as follows:
whereas the financial policy OF this govern.
ment by reducing the volume OF money, dur.
ing the past nineteen yeats, has so reduced the
income from labor on American farms and In
American mines and workshops and the profits
derived from their productions. rs to render
the burdens of taxation oppressive on those
engaged in said pursuits; and
whereas Congress has, within the past
twenty-five years, passed laws increasing the
salaries OF many public officials out of reason.
rom labor and enterprise employed in the
productive industries Of this country; and
Whereas the burdens resulting from said
action should not he imposed on the people
unless shared by their representatives.
What may be the fate Of the measure
cannot be stated with positil ileness at this
moment, as the bill has not yet been tikeu
up for discussion by the judiciary commit
tee, but IL expressions OF considerable
number Of memUers OF Congress may be
taken as an indication of the vote they
will cast upon the bill, II 1t shall ever come
up In open House for action, Mr.. Swim
burne will have very few 10 keep him COM
pany In support Of the bill.
Areport upon the bill, giving statistics
for comparison, will show n state OF facts
which will surprise the unintelligent peo.
pie among the masses who suppose that the
salaries Of government officials, especially
thasc in clerical positions, have been
greatly increased beyond "befo de wah"
rates.
As matter Of fact the classified clerks
In the departments at Washington are the
same to-day as they were In lSG0 namely,
Sl,SO0, $1,000, 81 400, and 81 200. Cabinet
officers now receive Just the same (SS,000)
MS was paid them in 1860, and so do for
eign ministers. The increases in the sala.
riCs Of assistant secretaries and chief clerks
Of departments is not equal to the increase
| Of their respective duties, and the same re-
mark is true as to the six auditors of the
whereas now they get $1,000. The first
comptroller, who In 1850 received $500,
now receives s., 600, while the second comp.
troller has been increased from $1,000 to
$1,000. The register of the treasury was
then paid $4,000, now $4,000. The super.
vising architects salary has been increased
from $1,000 to $4,000.
The Presidents salary has been increased
from S25, 600 to $50. 900, but the Vice Presi.
dents remains at 5000.
a greater proportionate increase has been
made in the salaries Of congressman aud
the officers of the respective houses thhl
has been made In the salaries In the cNcca-
tive departments. Senators and represent
atives' salaries have been increased from
$1,000 to So, ,000 while the salary OF the ecc
retary Of the Senrte has been increased froU
$4,000 to So ,096.
Upon the whole, It will be found, upor
investigation, that only comparatively few
salaries have been increased IN rate
scarcely any beyond II equal to the increase
of work and responsibility which have
/ grown with the growth Of the nation and
| Of the governmental machine.