Smyrna times., 1889-04-17
FOf he smyrna Itnlei
Raising the Salary.
A PLEA FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY

PLEA FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY.
Sir There has been some earnest
talk among congressman about raising
their salary to about double the pres
ent rates. Their plea is the cost of
living in Washington. No doubt about
it being expensive to live in Washing
ton as elsewhere, nevertheless a con-
gresham could live in Washington and
lay by from three to four-ffths of his
salary, and not live niggardly either
If he wants to live in brOwnstOne and
have his fOOtman, cOachman and span,
with all the trappings of royalty, they
can no doubt spend their salary, but
| the people do not send them there for
that purpose. If the present salary is
not satisfactory there is a way out.
Their resignation would be accepted
at any time aud a score of others
ready to take their places.
This is not the time for raising sala-
ries, while other classes of citizens
| equally worthy are working at starva-
ton returns. Our congressman with
no capital invested except what they
| have in their hands and some of these
have a very light investment. While
| other classes have their entire capital
invested in their business, and do not
have returns for years toll equal to
the amount received by a congressman
| for one weeks services. There is no
| equality in this, yet the people do not
! complain at the present pay of their
congressman. But should they raise
their salary to double the present
amount (which we presume they have
the right to do they will find it warm
when they return to their constituents,
and exceedingly warm about the time
! for their reelection. 1t will be more
emphatic thus than the result of the
salary grab.
congressman may not at present
receive too much but the tOilers too
little, and those engaged in agriculture
especially, and their returns are less
and less each succeeding year until
many are driven out Of the business.
This cannet continue indefinitely. A
crash is coming, must come without a
change. Money is abundant but not
with the masses. 1t is drawn out of
the money centres by railroads and
other capitalists, in creating million
aires or the one hand and paupers on
the other. And persons who produce
the wealth of the country are feeling
it more than any other class.
There were over four millions of
farms in the United States in 1880
there are perhaps nearly FIVE millions
at this time. This would indicate that
nearly One-half of the population are
engaged in agriculture. Now if this
class were literally paid for their
products, the money would be drawn
from the money centres and start in its
course of circulation through all the
avenues of society, and produce
results as satisfactory as healthy blood
circulation through the physical body
Just give the farmer eighty cents fOI
corn and dollar and fifty cents fol-
wheat, they would grease the wheels
of commerce and put them at high
speed in ninety days. But with wheat
! at eighty and ninety cents and corn al
thirty five, he has nothing to pay with
I and if he buys at all, must buy OIL
credit with but little prospect of being
able to pay in the future. Our State
Legislature has also caught the con
I gressional fever of increased pay.
t We offer the advice free of charge t
such, that they go slow in that direc
ton. The session of one is over, ant
r the other will be soon. Neither arr
= under any obligations to return if the!
r do not wish to. There would be n,
+ objection to a slight increase in tn
o pay of our Legislature if they wOult
neither ask nor receive railroad passe
d and attend little closer to business
just as they would have others do fo
+ them. T. B. G.
Spring Mills, ApriJ 8th, 1889.