New-York tribune., 1900-03-26
FEDERAL SALARIES.


One of the contradictions of American democ-
racy is its traditional attitude toward the state
and compensation of its servants. The agitators
of class feeling never cease to complain OF the
part played by rich men in politics, and more
serious thinkers in all parties express regret
that many able men who would honor and bene-
fit their country in office are debarred from it
because they have not large private means to
supplement inadequate official salaries. Never
theless the same popular sentiment which de-
mands chance for poor men is extremely loath
to fix salaries at a figure suitable to the accom-
plishment of its demand.
1t is not q feeling for economy, for millions
are spent ON unnecessary things without MUIR
MUIR. 1t is rather jealousy, partly a traditional
antipathy derived from the Revolution to the
pomp characteristic Of Old World authority and
partly an outcome of the teachings of our early
demagogues, who denounced Washington for his
aristocratc bearing and defeated John Quincy
Adams, as Mrs. Trollope, we believe it was. de-
cared because he was too much of a gentle
man" Our people have an instructive dislike to
the creation of dignities. They do not mind
giving county clerk a sheriff a fortune for
obscure labors, but they hesitate about adding
10 an office naturally conspicuous or impressive
compensation calculated to give it any state. In
this they differ radically from the French
who, with all their passion for equality, con-
slider themselves not menaced but hOnored by
the pomp Of their representatives If an Amer
lean President assumed much ceremony il would
be said that he was snobbshly aping kings
The French President in similar circumstances
would be applauded for teaching the kings that
the French Republic was the equal of any
monarchy.
American life is so different from that of even
republican Europe that there is no call for con-
10 rha cul Sid of off int
there is need TO overcome the prejudice so far
it prevents the due compensation of officers to
enable them to perform their functions without
private expenditures impossible to poor men.
few nights ago the Republican Club of this city
adopted a report full of interesting information
this subject prepared by Mr.. Adebert H.
Steele 1t shows that the salaries Of most Fed
eral officials are based on a scale Of necessary
expenditures and National wealth so far out
grown that they bear no relation to present con-
ditions. Our salaries were never large, but
when fixed the country poorer, private in
comes were less and money was much more
valuable. Probably in 1850 man could live
better In Washington on 81, 900 than he could
now for $1,000, yet most of our salaries are
what considered a modest allowance il
1850. The $1,000 salary of Cabinet officers was
fixed in 1853 having in most cases been $4,000
from 1919. Senators and Representatives have
received SoOOo since 1866, and since 1913 the
Justices of the Supreme Court have received
$4,000 and the Chief Justice $l05O0 while Cir
cult Judges and District Judges receive $4,000
and $1,000 respectively. When il is noted that
these men practised at the same bar with law
yers who now sit in adjoining buildings presid-
ing over State courts at salaries of SIT 500 the
utter inadequacy of our payments to Judges will
be seen. The wonder is that men of ability can
be induced TO abandon practice to sit on the
Federal Bench.
Our foreign service is likewise badly provided
for. The sums may look large to plain people
who think they would be rich IL they had such
incomes, but they really do not begin to meet
the necessary expenses Of life in foreign capi-
tails. where official station costs dearly Our
present diplomatic schedule dates in the main
from 1856. 1t never liberal and now il is
grotesque Mr. Steele reports that il actually
costs our Ambassadors and Ministers OF the first
class more than double their salaries for the
necessary expenses of their posts. and the men
of modest means who have in recent years occu-
pied such positions have found ii extremely diff
fcult, with the depletion Of their private in
comes. to move III the most modest fashion In