Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-18
TO "DOCK" ME- ERS
Report of the House Judiciary Committee
on the Subject
1t Says That the Law Providing for
Such Action II Stin in Force and
Should He Carried Out.

An era Of business Is rapidly being in
argurated in the House Of Representatives.
The quorum-countng rule has been the first
step in that direction. Further steps are
now contemplated by which absenteeism
will be brought to an end The House will
then have a system by which members can
be made to attend and when in attendance
ca1 be counted to make a quorum 1t will
be the most stringent system for enforced
attendance and enforced voting that Con-
gress has ever had, the system under Mr..
Reed having lacked the plan of within olding
the pay of absent members. 1t is believed
by parliamentary authorities that the Few
system will make it almost out of the ques-
ton to break quorum, and that the House,
from this time forward. will always be
ready to do business.
Phe judiciary committee made up of the
leading lawyers of the House. has pre-
sented report to the effect that II Is the
imperative duty of the sergeant-at-arms to
execute the old law. long in disuse, for the
DEDUCTION of the pay of absent members.
This report supplements the recent action
or the democratic caucus, instructing the
sergeant-at-arms to execute The law. 1t
Is In line with the general movement to
enforce the system with every law and
rule which will aid in the transaction Of
business.
The report of the judiciary committee
after reciting the old law says:
Under the provision of this law there
can be no question but that a member of
Congress Is not entitled to receive pay for
any day when he is absent from the House
unless he can assign as the reason for his
absence his own sickness or the sickness
Of some member of his family, and 1t Is
purely a question for him to consider
whether, IL he desires to attend to his per-
| sonal business.it will be worth more to him
| than his daily pay or salary as member
| of Congress, or, II he chooses to absent
| himself on a trip for pleasure. whether he
prefers that to drawing his per diem salary
! or the amount of the salary which he
! would be entitled to receive IL he would
| have been in attendance in the House"
| The report then shows how the failure
| to dock" salaries grew up during the war,
when many members were officers in the
army and were necessarily absent 1t pro-
ceeds:
| This law has neve~ been repealed either
directly or by implication, and is in force
! today, and, in the opir ion Of your commit
/ tee, it is the duty of the sergeant-at-arms
| to make the deduction required by this act
| from the salary Of each member at the
time he draws his pay. 1t may in many
cases work hardship. but it is the law, and
as lorg as IL remains on the statute books
should be enforced"
| The substitute resolution reported by the
committee recites the law for Withholding
the pay of absent members, and adds:
Therefore, be 1t resolved, That the SER
geant-at-arms strictly observe and enforce
/ the provisions of said law and report to
the House monthly his proceedings there
under, and each month pay into the treas
ury of the I-pited States the sums deducted
| in the due observance and enforcement Of
the law as declared in said section"
| Sergeant-at-Arms ST ow is back after an
ton with members of the judiciary COM
mittee as to the method in which the law
will be executed and the docking" system
reinaugurated.