Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-18
ASKING A RAISE.
The Senators Complain of
Being Underpaid
AND KEPT ON SHORT COMMONS.
Proposition to Take Steps to Double
the Salaries of all Members
of Congress.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD /

Associated Press Dispatches to the HEEALD.l
WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE resigna-
tion of Senator Chase upon the thresh-
old of his second term has aroused
renewed interest in a subject that is
bound to receive early and earnest con-
sideration in Congress. Senator Chase, in.
private, gives as his reason why he cannot
longer serve as legislator the fact that
the compensation OF Senator is not sufi-
cient to warrant him in longer neglecting
his business. He has expressed the
opinion that he is considerably poorer
for his legislative experience. He is one
of the largest cotton manufacturers OF
New England. The question of increas-
ing the compensation of congressman
has been receiving the earnest attention
of Senators, especially of late, and there
is an overwhelming sentiment among
them in favor of making the salary OF
Congressman $4,000 year instead OF
$5 900 a year. The members of the
House of Representatives, while thor
oughly in sympathy with the sena-
tors on this point, are not yet
ready to go to the full length
| ton of the eeneure visited upon the Con-
gress of 1875 for its action on the salaries
question. But it is argued by the advo-
ties of increased salary that what people
| we're indignant about then was the back
pay grab" feature, and that if an increase
was made to date from the end OF the
Fifty-frst Congress, no serious cpposi-
| tion would be made to it.
There was frank expression OF views
by Senators on this topic in one of the
secret legislative sessions last week, in
the discussion that ensued upon the in
PRODUCTION of resolution by Senator Tel
ler authorizing the Secretary of the SEN
ate to pay to the committee clerks SER
wing on per diem basis during the ses-
sion of the Senate, and the clerks to the
Senators, during the coming recess, the
per diem allowed by law. Teller, pre-
vious to presenting the resolution, which
was referred to the Committee on Con-
tingent expenses, said that, nthis expert
ence as chairman of committee, he had
been compelled at times to employ two
men to attend to the correspondence de-
volving upon him, and it was heavy
burden upon him. He believed that the
!, Senators should have annual clerks, be-
cause their duty did not cease with the
!. adjournment of the Senate.
: Morrill, asked if Platt was not aware
, that no man could come to Washington
: with a family, rent decent house and
live without twice the amount of his
salary. Platt replied that, as one of the
poorer members of the Senate, he had
been painfully aware of this fact. He
J thought it was quite time that some plain
/ words were spoken on the subject.
, Dawes, Stewart, Harris and Gray en-
: dorsed the sentiments expressed by
Teller, bur Morrill,, Morgan and Hale
!, said it would be impossible to provide 8
much as the appropriations had all been
made, and, in any event, the co-opera-
/ ton of the House would be essential to
carrying out the proposition.
In concluding the debate, Platt said
"Mr. President, when the proper com.
mittee shall consider the matter which
has been spoken of here this morning,
think the committee ought to go further
l think it ought to consider the question
J as to whether Senators are fairly paid fol
the work which they do, and whether
the salary OF Senators ought not to be
: raised. There are Senators here to whom
salary is very little object, but there
are Senators here who have nothing to
live upon except their salaries, and who
are paid less for sthe services which
they render than they would be paid in
any other walk or occupation of life for
similar services. In addition to that,
Senators have a great many expenses
] which their position necessarily entails,
} and the result is that those Senators
who have no income behind their salaries
J are obliged to live in pinched and very
unpleasant way in the city of Wash
ington."