The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1889-03-27
Tie wan for Moro Pny.

greSS, Wnlen nelu 1IS session IN the
years 1886 and 1887, and before
specie payment had been resumed,
and when the greenback was below
par, hue and cry was raised
within the walls of the Capitol, that
the salary paid to Representatives
and Senators at Washington was
not sufficient to live upon decently,
where banquets, fetes and routs,
with spade-tail coat and other ac-
compartments, were becoming an
almost daily necessity, if one wished
to keep up with and in society.
Perhaps it wasn't enough under the
circumstances. AT any rate the
salary was increased from three to
five thousand per annum, by act of
Congress, and the modest represen-
tatives of the people concluded
while they were at it to make the
increased pay run back to the be-
ginning of the term, concluding we
suppose, that they might as we'll be
killed for sheep as lamb Thus
it was the memorable and iniquitous
"salary grab" of history came about.
1t kicked up great hubbub among
the people, as well it might, for
there never was more cheeky and
disgraceful bit of imposition upon
the confidence of their constituents
than that very act, and many
Congressman suffered the penalty
of his breach of trust by being rel
egated to private life. There were
few honorable exceptions, be it
said TO their credit, who would not
touch the back pay feature; and it
affords the REGISTER pleasure to
announce that among those honest
and honored few was our fellow
townsman, Chester d. Hubbard,
now President of the Wheeling Iron
and Nail Co., who at that time
represented this district in Con-
gress.
The news from Washington tells
us of the agitation of another in
crease in the pay of Congressman,
which means, of course, that the
methods of living are much more
expensive now than formerly, and
therefore the Congressional stipend
is not adequate to the needs of the
times. How much is needed few,
if any can tell The sum might be
doubled, 10000 per year) and the
average Senator and Representative
would find that his expenses had so
largely increased that his salary
barely made both ends meet.
That's the way it works, and the
next step would be an additional
sum in order that the style of living
might be commensurate with the
honor and dignity attached to SO
great an Office.
Some writer has wisely said that
ECONOMY is the parent of wealth
and ease" We don't believe that
there is much sympathy with this
aphorism when it gets down to the
Congressman considering the re-
lationship between & btbffc policy
ind his salary. The fear of re-
duction with his constituency may
have some wholesome influence, but
beyond that there is little hope for
public economy among the ordinary
run of national legislators where
their own pockets are concerned.
But what are the people going to
do about it? There ought to be a
very energetic protest against such
robbery. Senators and Congress
men may offer all the specious
reasons at their command and they
will not convice the plain people of
the land that their services are
worth more than $4,000 year. If
it is not enough they should not
have accepted the Office.
To attempt to increase their pay
now that they are in, is to debauch
the Office for their personal greed.
IF there is one public position more
than another in these United States
that siroGId be above such bum
politics, it is that of U. S. Senator
and Representative: 1t is they who
are the head and front of the peo-
pie in all that is politically good.
They are, or ought to be, the poifti-
eaf guardians who give tone and
regulate the gait in all subordinate
public life. If the plane of the
leaders at Washington is no higher
than to vote themselves bigger sal
aries, what can be expected from
the rank and file.
Five thousand dollars a year, and
that too, for about six months Ser
vice is ample upon which to live
comfortably, even for United