The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-07-06
FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF
CONGREssMEN,T THEIR DEPENDENTS
AND FAMILIES.
GRADY, BUM AND WILLIAMS ARE
RECORDED AS VOTING FOR THE
STEAL.
A Record That should Bring the Blush of
Shame to Every Honest Mans Face.

WAsHINGToN, June 30th.-It has
just taken history just 20 years, al
most to an hour, to repeat itself.
The Back Salary Grab" that made
the 42nd Congress Infamous was en-
acted on the night Of March 3rd
1873. The Democratic "salary grab"
that will consign its authors and
beneticiencies to obscurity was en-
acted at MIDNIGHT March 3rd 1898.
The 42nd Congress was oyerwhelm-
ingly Republican. The Sind Cod
gress which died only a few months
was o verw b e IN II gly Dem
ocratic. Then it was a Repub-
ican raid on the treasury,
now it is a Democratic raid. The
Republican raid was made in the
broad daylight-the Democratic raid
at the dead hour Of midnight. The
country had notice of the one, but
the other was "a virtual steal" The
one was debated and considered in
conference for days and days, the
other was passed under the whip and
spur of gag without debate,
without consideration. The one was
an attempt to increase the salaries
of all government officials-the 9TH
er operates to the exclusive benefit
of members of Congress. Then, as
now, when the voice of protest was
raised IN behalf of the people it was
laughed to scorn.
Senator Edmunds said the enact
ment of such legislation would make
the Republican party Infamous. Sen
ator Farnsworth said that it put to
shame the monstrous Credit Mobe-
lier scheme. 1t passed the Senate
March 3rd 1873 by 36 yeas to 27
nays. Both Senators from North
Carolina-Ransom and Pool voted
aye. 1t passed the House by 1O2
yeas, SO nays, AZ not voting. Cobb,
Thomas, Waddell, Leach and Har-
per from North Carolina voted aye;
Shober is recorded as not voting.
Waddell, believe, afterwards de-
clined to receive the increased sal
ary. Leach and the others named
did receive it and went into igno-
minious oblivion. Will history re-
peat itself again3 That there may
be no dispute over the fact, | have
copied the resolution adopted by an
overwhelming Democratic vote in
the last Congress. 1t reads as fol-
lows:
"Resolved by the Senate and Hou Sc
of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress as
sembled, That on and after April
first, eighteen hundred and ninety
three, each Member and Delegate OF
the House of representatives Of the
United States may, on the first day
of every month during sessions of
Congress certify to the Clerk Of the
House of Representatives the amount
which he has paid or agreed to pay
for clerk hire necessarily employed
by him in the discharge of his off.
cial and representative duties dur
ing the previous month, and the
amount so certified shall be paid by
the Clerk out of the contingent fund
| Ol Tic 11ouSO oh LuC loul SA va VI
each month to the person or persons
named in each of said certificates SC
filed: Provided, That the amount Sc
certified and paid for clerical serv
ices rendered to each Member anc
Delegate shall not exceed one hun
dred dollars for any month during
the session: And provided further,
That the provisions of this resolu
ton shall not apply to members who
are chairmen of committees entitled
under the rules to clerk
Approved, March 3, 1893"
now quote from the protest made
by the minority Of the committee
that reported the resolution:
PROTEST.
1.-THE minority, after careful con
sideration, feel constrained to dis
sent from the report recommend
ing the Adoption of the resolut. on
The immediate effect of the reso
luton is 10 add more than three
hundred officials to the present enor
nous roll, and to fix upon the Treas
ury a charge exceeding $500, ,00
during each Congress, which mus
continue indefinitely. The second
ary result, though none the less in
evitable, will be to entail upon th
people and expenditure to provin
, and furnish more than three hun
dred offices in which these clerks Cal
transact the private business of tn
, Representatives There is no spac
) in the Capitol that can be set apar
for this purpose, and the cost o
| erecting or renting will amount t
| several millions.
t "The incoming administration an
, large majority of the Flfty-thir
Congress are pledged to tn
most rigid economy in public expend
iture, and in view of the deplete
Treasury and the declaration of
{ large body which is the sole bene
\ ficiary of this appropriation, the m
{ nority is of the opinion that sue
action cannot be justified or excuse
:, at this time. Tie necessity for sue
clerical assistance as this resolutlo
I contemplates is not a new condition
e 1t has existed for long time. Rel
9 resentatives in many preceedin
;. Congresses whose correspondent
was voluminous and whose constitl
ents exacted as much of their tin
IN attending to their individual ma
ters as the members of the Fift'
s third Congress will be required
II do, have not regarded an appropr
alton for such a purpose as desir