New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-04

airy %. Mt Hill moved TO increase the salArieS
Of Senators and Representatives to $1,000
year. On motion OF Senator Wright Rep
Iowa.. this also was laid on the table by % to
IT, The bill was duly passed by the Senate
without any increase Of salaries. but few
small amendments having been made to various
parts of the bill. the measure had to go back to
the House for approval of the amendments
In the House, February "a, Benjamin F. But
Ter. or Massachusetts 0hen a Republican, but
later Democracy. offered an amendment in
creasing the salaries not only OF Congress. but
Of the President. Cabinet, Supreme Court and
employees of Congress He defended his PROPOSE
ton by pointing to the increase Of the cost Of
living. and the inability Of public officials to live
upon the salaries paid them In the debate
which followed, nearly all the Republican lead
opposed the increase, while Samuel J. Ran
DALI the Democratic leader. spoke in favor Of it.
General Buffers amendment adopted in
Committee OF the Whole 81 to 81. no record
being made Of the vote. In the House. however,
it was voted down by 90 yeas 40 Republicans,
q Democrats, 9 Liberals) to 12l nays a Re
publicans, IL Democrats, 3 Liberals). On March
! the bill being again under discussion, General
Butler (who had purposely voted in the negative
last time) moved to reconsider 1t. This was
amendment increasing salaries adopted
Senators and Congressman to get SGjOD by
100 yeas C52 Republicans, 4G Democrats. . Lib
erals) to % nays go Republicans, 50 Democrats,
3 Liberals). All the Republican leaders except
General Butler voted against the increase; the
Republicans who voted for it were chiefly from
coast. The amendment adopted gave sena-
tor and R.presDpt4fiIpS hack from March
4, 1871 Speaker Blaine, however. requested the
House to allow him to make the Increase in his
case payable hereafter" and he himself caused
this to be written in the BILL Samuel j. Randall
at first objeeting. but finally Withdrawing the
objection.
The bill then again went to the Senate. There
were only two days more of the session. The
Senate refused to agree to the increase, and
asked for a conference. Conference Commit
tee was appointed by each house. Rather than
let the whole appropriation bill fail the senate
cOnferrees agreed to the increase in salaries. The
Of Senators ard Representative
was raised again TO 5000. The bill as amended
was then passed in both houses on the last day
of the session The vote in the House was lo2
yeas (J6 Republicans. 10 Democrats, LiDeraD
to % nays (JS Republicans. "a Democrats, )
Liberais) In the Senate the vote was II yeas
GO Republicans. Liberals) TO 70 nays 03 Re
publicans, Is Democrats. Again the Republican
leaders generally voted against the increase
Those of both parties who favored the increase
were chiefly from the South and West
VARIOUS MEASURES
An act allowing Union soldiers and sailors who
had acquired homesteads OF eighty acres EACH
under a former law, to acquire 100 acres in ALL
on the same terms was approved March 3, 1913
An act extending for one year the time within
W hich claims could be filed for the additional
bounty" of 800. authorized by the law OF July
%. 1866, was approved March 3, 1913. 1t was
passed by both houses without a division.
An effort was made late in the session to pass
a bill equaliz!ng bounties. 1t was introduced in
the House by Mr.. Dunnell Hep), of Minnesota,
and proposed to grant a bounty Of IS % a month
TO each veteran for his whole period of service. II
was agreed TO by both houses, nearly every lead
ing Democrat voting against it in the House. and
oniv one Democrat for il in the Senate But IL
passed too late TO receive the Presidents sigma
iure and it therefore failed to become a law.
Efforts were made by Southern Representa-
tives to secure repayment OF the cotton TAX 10
Southern planters. The Internal Revenue law
Df 1864 taxed cotton cents a pound; In March.
1866 the tax was increased to cents; in lSOi II
was made y. cents pound. The total amount
collect ed UP to 1865 inclusive, had been sos
BOO Several bills were introduced by Southern
men 10 authorize refundlng Of the tax, and one
Of them was passed. by nearly party vote.
Democrats in the affirmative; but it failed in the
Senate.
CREDIT MOBILIER
This session is famous for the Credit Mobilier
Investigation Rumors gained circulation that
members of Congress had become owners in that
which was building the Union Pa
life Railroad and that they had thereby been in
iuenced To attempt TO prevent the exercise OF the
reserved power of Congress with regard TO that
-oad Republican members of Congress prompt i
=, CHALLENGED an Investigation. and on January
+; 1873 the House adopted resolution. moved
by Mr. Wilson RepD, of Indiana. for the APP
continent OF "A committee The committee was
appointed By Speaker Blaine the next day. az