The Washington times., 1901-12-15

and mileage at 40 cents. This amounted
to about 81. 300 annually In pay. which.
with the 10 cents additional mileage.
brought 1t up to the prevailing stipend.
| But the end was not yet
Four years later, or in 1921, there was
a renewal Of the outcry against the ex-
travagant stipend received by members
OF Congress. although there had bsen an
| increase in the Salaries Of members OF tho
| Cabinet. committee of the SenaJ ap-
| pointed to enquire into the propfety OF
| reducing IL. reported that at Is not ex-
| pedient at the present time to reduce the
| compensation allowed by law for the re-
| spective houses of Congress- Accom-
| panyinE this resolution were tables OF
figures showing what other officers Of the
| Government we're receiving for their serv-
| Ices. The Presidents S salary was S25.00O
a year. Just as 1t had been fixed in liSg.
| The Secretary of the Senate received
$4,000 annually, more than twice as much
as Senator got. Even the principal
clerk got $500. The Chaplain was paid
at the rate OF $500 a year, which meant
| S206 during session.
Cabinet Officers Fnred BETTER.
| In 1921 the members Of the Presidents
| Cabinet, except the Attorney General, re-
| ceiyed $4,000 a year. In 1890 the Secretary
Of State and the Secretary of the Treas
ury got $4,000 each. and the Secretary Of
War $1,000. Two years later there was a
| general rise all along. the Secretary OF
State and the Secretary OF the Treasury
each receiving 5000. and the Secretary OF
War and the Secretary of the Navy this
Office was created In 1881 1880 each. In
1920 the salaries were raised again and
equalized, each Cabinet officer being paid
Sc 900.
Despite this last refusal to cut down the
Congressional pay of IS day. the agita-
tion continued and in April. 1922, select
committee of the House reported in favor
of returning to $6 and 30 cents mileage.
1t showed that the pay and mileage Of
members aggregated in one year $685.
1880 Gt is now ten times as much). and
that by making the proposed reduction a
saving OF 10000 year could be realized.
The Ss Day Rate Continued.
But Congress declined to reduce It's
members wages, and the IS day rate
continued until 1855. Would Congress-
man, drawing such pay, have survived the
shock which Uncle joe Cannon received
the other day when he was asked for $3.50
week for rooms without board?
By 1885 the original "klckers" against
"extravagant' compensation for Senator's
and Representatives had. for the most
part, gone to their eternal reward, and in
that year law was passed fixing salaries
at $4,000 year. The system Of annual
allowances thus established has continued
ever since. Forty cents q mile for travel
was allowed until 1865 when il was re-
duced TO 20 cents. and $1,000 fixed as the
Congressional salary. 1t is that today.
In 1873 however. Congress passed what
was called the salary grab" act 1t in
creased the pay to $500, and made the
law retroactive. so that members could
draw the additional compensation for two
years back This exhibition of avarico
proved fatal. The country was not much
opposed to the augmentation of salary,
but 1t disapproved of the retroactive
clause so earnestly that the entire law,
so far as 1t affected the members of Con-
gress. was repealed the following year.
The salary Of the President was raised
at that time to $4,000 year. and Of
Cabinet members to SS,00O.-CleveIand
Leader.