Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-09

Il
ue 9-2p
would have a claim to demand an annual
salary. Mr. Winborne said he hoped the
House would reconsider the action by
which It refused to take from the Clerk
the duties Of the Keeper Of the Rolls.
While he did not forget the past services
of the venerable Clerk OF the House. yet be
also remembered the condition of the
| overburdened taxpayer
Mr. Switzer desired 10 offer an amend
ment, amending the Parker substitute
by inserting $500 for the session Of the
Senate, instead of $500 per annum." Mr.
Switzer said that he was surprised to
see the position taken by Mr.. Parker
Mr.. Watkins thought the dignity Of the
position. and the responsibility attaching
to it should be the criterion by which
the salaries should be judged The du-
ties of the clerks should be considered
seriously before action was taken on
the question of reducing their salaries
Captain Minter said all men were born
free and equal Equality might ex-
tend to certain points, and not to others
but, legally. all were equal. What was
that dignity" to which the distinguished
gentleman from Prince Edward had re-
ferred? Was II the dignity that could
wear fine clothes, and that could come
out smooth and slick before the people
who gave them such extravagant paw for
the fat positions they occupied? What
Is dignity worth?' he asked Lets es-
tablish a market value for it," If dignity
was so valuable. could money buy IL?
he asked. He believed the salaries were
unnecessarily extravagant, and should
be considerably reduced.
THE APPRECIATED DOLLAR.
Mr. Stubs said that the government
had been economically administered for
the last twenty years. and now it was
proposed To turn the hands back and
reduce salaries to not a living salary. -
The salary of the Auditor OF Public Ac-
counts had been reduced-a man who did
more work than any other officer I'm the
State, and whose duties would be in
creased by enactments of the present
General Assembly.
Captain Mnter desired TO know II he
could ask the Delegate from Gloucester
a question. The latter replied that he
could, that he wanted it emphasized
that he Struck hands" with the
gentleman from Bedford on the question
OF retrenchmens. Captain Mlnter replied
that he didn't care whose hand was
struck, all he offered was the hand Of
integrity" He simply wished to know
If it had not been the doctrine of the
Democratic party that the dollar had
appreciated in value during those twenty
years.
Mr.. Parker, I'm reply to Mr. Switzer's
remarks. said he did not recede from
any principle but that he thought IL the
House did not "go according to common
sense principle" the result would be
that no reduction would be made i'm the
salaries of the clerks of the Senate and
House.
Mr.. Switzer said that he did not intend
to put Mr.. Parker in any unfavorable
light, or TO intimate that he had receded
from any principle Yet he could not
account for his change OF position touch
ing retrenchment.
Mr.. Early made an eloquent speech in
favor of the original measure He said
the question had narrowed down 10 this
Virginia against her holders"
Mr.. Wallace said he didn't think it was
fair to compare the duties Of the clerks
of the two bodies with those of the
members. II the clerks did no more to
earn their salary than some Of the mem
bers, they would soon be turned out Of
Office.
DEFEATED BY TWO VOTES.
The pending question was called. and
Mr.. Campbells amendment was defeated
The Stubs substitute was then pre-
sented 10 the House. and upon n vive
voce vote was declared adopted. as from
the sound It looked very much that way.
but a recorded vote turned the tables
and IT was defeated by vote of a. to 43.
recorded as follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Anderson. Bauserman
Barley, George c. Bland, Cooke. Diggs.
Duke, Embrey, Fitzpatrick, Folkes. Cal
leher, Hobbs. T. ID. Jennings Jordan
Kizer. Matthews. James Mann: Maupin
Montague, Murphy. Newberne, owen.
Parker, Parks, Passmore Pitcher, Powell.
Qtsenberry Reddy, Sayers, Smith.
Stubs. Wallace. Walker, Watkins. Well
ford. Wharton, Willard, j. w. Williams
William G. Williams, Winston Withrow,
Ryan-4S.
Nays-Messrs. Allen, Blakemore, c. T
Bland, Blanton, Booker. Buford Caldwell
c. j. Campbell, T. J. Campbell Chaplin
Churchman. Clarke. Craig, Darnall
Early. Elswick Featherston, W. A. Gar
rett, Booker Garrett. Goad, Gwyn, Hale,
Hanson. Hatcher. c. II. Jennings Jones
Lyon, Lovelace, Mlnter. Palmer. Pen
dleton, Settle, Snead. Spratt, Stoner,.
Surgener Switzer, Taylor. Turner. Tur-
pin, Walker. Watson, Wilson, Winborne.
Woods.
Mr. Diggs offered an amendment to the
original bill. making the salary OF the
Clerk of the House 81 500. and the House
adjourned without recOnsidering the vote
by which the substitute was defeated.