The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-04-02
THE SALARY GRAB"

The informal talk of Senators the other
day. while waiting upon the leisurelymove-
ments of President HARRISON in sending in
his nominations, about an increase in their
salary. revives the old saying Of ''salary
grab'' which filled the press towards the
close of the session of the Forty-seventh
Congress. when an attempt was made to
increase the pay of Senators and Repre-
sentatives from s., 600 to 81, 500. Both par
ties made it an issue in the nomination and
election of Representatives for the
Forty-third Congress, and number
Of REPRESENTATIVES who favored the
increase went down in the struggle,
though a number who favored an increase
of salary were elected. The feature which
made the measure unpopular was that it
was made to apply TO the Congressman who
passed the bill, and to go backward to the
beginning Of the term, difficulty which
could be very much obviated by the present
Congress if it would only take time by the
forelock and pass the bill early in the first
session, or make it operative with the com
mencement of the second session of the
present Congress. The cry of grab
would then be robbed of its thunder. A
variety of opinions has already been eX-
pressed on the subject, of which the follow
ing are but specimens:
A MORE popular movement would be to reduce
the price Of living in Washington.-Albany
Times.
JOHN SHERMAN has been sued for taxes. No
wonder the Senators want raise OF salary
Chicago NeTs.
TIRE style in vogue and the style appropriate
and necessary are two very different things. In
stead of conforming the nation to the style Of
one little eXtravagant fragment Of It, let the
style at the capital be cOnfOrmed to the nation.
New York World.
IT Is something of public scandal already
that the Senate chamber has become retreat
for ambitious miliOnaireS, who are neither by
education experience nor observation adapted
10 the position TO which they so successfully as
pire.-New Haven Register.
There are now 4Ol Senators and Representa-
tives. If the salary OF each was increased to
$1,000 a year, their payroll annually would be
s. 100000 Four million 4 year for the payment
of congressional salaries. This is an immense
country.-Troy Press.
The Republicans Of the 6fty-frst Congress in
tend TO eViScerate the treasury. They may make
Il salary grab part OF the process, put II they
10 they will hear the truth about II ana them
selves in language that will not accommodate
itself to any dellcacy they may feel as they ill
their pockets.-St. Louis ReDUtljc.
One of the principal troubles has been that
few rich men elected to Congress- have gone into
the social swim in the most eNJravdgant way,
spending many times the amount OF their SalaI-
les, and setting pace with which the great ma
jorlty could not think Of keeping up.-Philadel-
b a Inquirer
The salaries of the Senators and Representa-
tives now amount to over two millions a year
and vet there are those who would have this
amount doubled simply because @jOHJ year
does not permit of quite Us much personal eX-
travagance as certain congressman would like
10 indulge in.-Cleveland LeaGor.
Bills have been introduced to increase the
salaries of other officers of the government.
Other bills are pending TO give away the surplus
10 steamship companies composed OF men VINO
are already millOnaires. Thus il goes under
Republican supremacy. Ii II probable that the
most and possibly all of these measures viii be
passed. Who cares for expenses Evansville
Courier.
Already the Republican Congress has solved
the surplus problem The national statemcn
propose to vote themselves increased salaries.
Only a great and wise party could conceive such
a magnificent idea The Democratic policy OF
reducing taxation and leaving the money in the
pockets OF the people paleS into lnSlEnltlcance
besides the proposed salary graD.-Fort wayne
Sentinel.
How far the expense of staying IN washington
is sWelled by swell" habits that have no neces-
sary relation in the public service might be
matter into the details of which the noble Sen
atOrs would not care to enter.-Phlladelphla
Record