Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-09
USED TO BE IN CONGRESS-
Content With a $4,000 Salary, but
Now Is Drawing $4,000.
A LIVELY DEBATE In THE HOUSE
On the Question of Who Should lnvesti-
gate the Management.
THE SENATE MANAGES TO PASS A BILL

gentleman who occupies the position of Di-
rector General of the Worlds Columbian
Exposition is worth $4,000 per annum, then
every member of this House should receive
salary of S25, 600 q year" This was the
closing sentence of the arraignment of Di-
rector General Davis by Representative
Henderson, of Iowa, in the House of Repre-
sentatives to-day, and to the stirring argu-
ment of the gentleman from Iowa was due
the action of the House in ordering the APP
preparations Committee thoroughly to in
vestigate the expenditure OF the Worlds s
Columbian Commission.
There is great division of opinion among
Congressman tonight as to the effect of to-
DAVIS action of the House. While the
Worlds Fair Committee met defeat in its
demand that all investigation should be
conducted by it, there are many who main
tain that this defeat doesn't indicate that 3
like fate awaits the bill TO be introduced
making an appropriation of $4,000, 900 for
the benefit of the Worlds Fair.
Chiefly Matter of Precedence.
To-day's action was generally regarded
more as settling a matter of precedence
than as affecting the vital interests of the
Worlds Fair, and there is no doubt many
gentlemen voted for the Appropriations
Committee who will vote and have an
nounced their intention of voting for gen.
erous appropriation for the Worlds Fair.
The Worlds Fair question was called up
by Mr.. Ssyers of Texas, member of the
Committee on Appropriations. Mr.. Savers
said, in explaining the resolution for in
vestigation, that it was understood an ap-
plication would be made to Congress either
for loan of So, 600, 900 or the investment of
such q sum in stock to be held by the
Government The original resolution Of
fered by Mr. Henderson. of Iowa, pro-
yided for an inquiry as to the expenditures
authorized by the act of April %, 1890; the
Committee on Appropriations had come to
the conclusion that it would be well for
Congress to have all possible information
touching the expenditures, whether they re-
ferred to the Government exhibit or not
Mr.. Henderson, of Iowa, the author of the
original resolution, disclaimed any un-
friendliness to the Exposition. From the
beginning he had been an earnest outspoken
supporter of the Exposition, and he had
never swerved In his fidelity to its inter-
ests. But he had heard many reports and
rumors, and had seen others in the public
press, which might have an influence on the
public mind.
Wisdom and Patriotism Needed.
His desire was to invite such full informa-
tion as would enable Congress to act intelli-
gently in making appropriations in behalf
of the Exposition. The country would not
sustain Congress in making appropriations
for the great enterprise unless it acted with
wisdom and patriotism.
"Now," said he, az want to call the at
tention of the House to the salaries that are
,,oiG Tho praSi6aut of tho ITpitaH of
gets $50, 900, and the next highest salary
paid by this country is that of the Director
General of the Worlds Fair, $4,000 In
other words this Director General ranks
next in salary to the President of the United
States. The Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of the United States gets only S10,-
800; the Justices of the Supreme Court S10,-
600, the Vice President of the United
States $4,000, and the distinguished
gentleman who presides over our
deliberations $4,000. The Secretary of this
Worlds Fair Commission, too, / see, gets
10000, and President of the Commission
1000 This was cut in two after the
storm of year or more ago. The reduction
was after committee had reported upon
the matter and the board was forced to do
it. Public sentiment, like the waves of
the ocean, drove them to the shore of re-
duction. But when appointed they took
hold of that 81, 800, 900 as though it had
been private fund intended for their own
benefit. This Commission is to last, if re-
member correctly, until 1899.
Times Change With Some.
"This Director General was glad to fight
hard at no light expense to get a two-year
seat in this House at S., 900 salary. Has he
so suddenly expanded in intellectual pow
ers that no less than $4,000 will satisfy
him, when he does not even have to bear
the current and legitimate expenses OF an
election? [Laughter] Many of us served
beside him in Congress. He was good
man and an able man; but 1 remember moth
ing for which he was conspicuous. except
for his dead silence on most public ques-
tions. [Renewed laughter. If you can
vindicate a So, 900 salary for him every gen.
tleman on this floor is entitled to S25, 900
salary Laughter and applause
'Now, Mr.. Speaker, there are two bodies
dealing with this exposition. We have the
United States Commission, provided for bv
the act of Congress, and we have the local
Chicago corporation, which think is called
the Worlds Exposition of 1892 The lat
ter body, L think, deserves all the praise
that any man can voice with human speech
for what they have accomplished, and 1
want no sentence or sentiment of mine to
reflect in any manner or for an instant on
that great body of men who have raised
over $4,000, 600 for this enterprise, and. L
understand, VIII raise if necessary from
s., 900, 900 to 81, 900, 900 more to make great
success. That body of men and their work.
nv resolution does not touch and does not
seek to touch, unless they may voluntarily
wish to give US information in regard to
the Exposition. The aim, the scope, the
sole purpose cf the resolution is to go
thoroughly into the investigation of such
appropriations as have heretofore been
made ard are to be made by the Congress
itself hereafter.
Five Millions to Think Of
''Our friends who have offered substitute
want this investigation to go into the hands
of the Columbian Exposition. Gentlemen,
you have the 5000, 000 proposition coming
before YOU. No one contests your preroga-
tive in investigating that or recommending
the advisability of acceeding to the request
il the House. But we have the appropri-
ations for it. These items belong to US,
they are properly part of the functions of
our committee, and for one L feel that L
should be quite as willing to have my
friend, brother Holman, of Indiana, run his
massive brain and eagle eyes llaughter]
over the items of expenditures of this CON-
mission as 1 would have the chairman of
Columbian Exposition, my friend. Mr..
Durburow, from Chicago. The great jour-
mails of Chicago have approved of this
investigation.
''We invite the investigation, inter-
rupted Mr.. Taylor. of Illinois, "and / will
say to the gentleman IRON Iowa that there
are members on this floor now from Chicago
who will vote for that resolution APP
plause.