Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-18
POOBLY PAID SENATOR'S.
Shall the Salaries of National Lawmakers
BE Rkised3

WASHINGTON, March l7th.-The resignation
of Senator Chace, upon the threshold of his Sec
ond term, has aroused renewed interest in a
subject that is bound to receive early and earn
est consideration i'll Congress Senator Chaee
in private, gives as the reason why he can no
longer serve as a legislator that the compensa-
ton OF senator is not sufficient TO warrant
him in longer negleeting his business. He has
expressed the opinion that he is considerably
poorer for his legislative experience He is one
OF the largest cotton manufacturers IN New
England
The matter of increasing the compensation
OF Congressman has been receiving the earnest
attention of the Senators, especially of late and
there is an overwhelming sentiment among
them IN favor of making the salary OF a Con-
gresham slO,OVO year, instead OF 1900, as at
present.
The members of the House of Representa-
lives While thoroughly in sympathy with the
Senators on this point. are not yet ready TO go
the full length desired by them, fearing a Iepe-
! tltion CT the oensure visited upon the Congress
of 1873 for its action upon the salary question
but it is argued by the advocates OF the in.
| creased salary that what the people were indig-
nant about then was the back-pay grab feature
| ana that II the increase were made to date
| from the end CT the Fiity-frst Congress, no
| serious opposition would be made 10 it, There
was frank expression of views by Senators on
this topic in one of the secret legislative
| sessions last week, in q discussion that eusued
| upon the introduction OF a resolution by Sena-
! tor Teller, authorizing the Secretary of the
! Senate to pay to the committee clerks serving
! on q per diem OASIS during the session of the
! Senate and the clerks TO the Senator'S during
| the coming recess, the per diem allowed by law.
Teller, prior TO presenting the resolution
I (which was referred 10 the Committee on Con
/ tlngent Expenses said that in his experience
! as Chairman OF the committee he had been
compelled at times to employ two men TO attend
/ to the correspondence devolving upon him
and IT was heavy burden upon him. He be-
lieyed that Senators should have annual clerks,
! because their duties did not cease with the ad-
journment of the Senate.
| Morrill, asked if Plat 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 mem
! bers OF the senate, he had been made painfully
! aware OF this fact. He thought it quite time
| that some words were spoken on the subject
| Dawes, Stewart, Harris and Gray indorsed the
! sentiments expressed by Teller but Morrill,
Morgan and Hale said it would be impossible
! to provide clerk for every Senator this wear,
lnasmueh as the appropriations had all been
made, and in any event the cooperation of the
House would be essential to carrying out the
| proposition.
In concluding the debate, Platt said "Mr.
| President, when the proper committee shall
consider the matters which have been spokeu
| OF here this morning. 1 think the committee
ought 10 go further. think it ought to consider
! the question as to whether Senators are fairly
paid for the work which they do and whether
! the salaries OF Senators ougnt not to be raised
! There are Senators here to whom the salary is
OF Very lit eobject, but there are other Ssnators
VINO nave nothing 10 live npon except their SAL
| aries, and who are paid less for the services
which they render than 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 nee
essarily entail, and the result is til It those SEN
! atoTs who haye no income to draw on except
their salary, are obliged to live in pinched
| ington.'
| A CAMPAIGN RooRBAcK"
! WASHINGTON, March 17th.-The resignation
OF Senator Chace, of Rhode Island has aroused
| Senator found that money had been used by
his friends to elect him, he only rem aimed in
the chamber long enough to protect the Repub-
lipau rnai0ritv -