The Washington times., 1901-12-15
LEGISLATORS AT
SIX DOLLARS A DAY.
Small Stipend First Paid to the
National Solons.
INCREASE CAUSED OUTCRY.
People Indignant at the Proposition
To Pay COngrcssmen $1,000 N
Ncnr-Rcscntmcnts shown by sena-
tors and Representatives.

rive thousand uOllaTS year Is tHe pay
of United States Senator or member
OF Congress. 1t is enough for the average
lawmaker to live on, although quite a
number of them who have private sources
of income spend a great deal more.
Plants are often heard about the in
adequacy of this compensation. but it is
princely in comparison with the stipend
received in the early history OF the coun-
| try.
When Congress was first organized in
| 1889, it fixed the compensation OF Senators
and Representatives at Sc a day during
| sessions. During the usual recess between
sessions there were no pay days. and
whenever member was absent, except
on account Of Illness. he was "docked.' -
| There was on an average of about 165
working days in a session, SO that mem
ber's annual compensation amounted to
approximately $1,000.
In those days, as in these, there was a
| mileage allowance. a Senator or Repre-
sentative was granted 30 cents mile,
coming to and going from the seat of gov
ernment. He usually came to the Capital
on horseback or in a stage coach. The
steam railroad was an invention Of the
future, and Robert Fulton had not yet
built the first steamboat 1t was no pleas
ure trip that a solon from Georgia or
the CaroIinas made when he went to New
York or Philadelphia to attend session
of Congress.
The law fixing the compensation at s6 a
gf
was increased to ST. But a great outcry
against this ''unwarranted extravaganza"
was raised, and after two years the new
law was repealed. and the fathers re-
sumed work at the old stand for So. 1t
was a pittance, to be sure but the coun-
try was poor. and they bore her burden
of poverty with patience until 1915. when
they passed another law giving themselves
an annual salary of 81 500, and thereby
almost caused a revolution.
Violent Indignation Aroused.
The popular clamor which followed was
something dreadful. Seven dollars day
was bad enough, but S1,50O a year was
lavishness unheard or The lawmakers
were charged with being recreant to their
trust. They were accused of endeavoring
to wreck the Republic by forcing it into
bankruptcy; they were thieves and scoun-
drels, unworthy of public confidence. So
intense and widespread was the national
Indignation that within two years the
great man whose memory is now honored
and revered, and whose devotion to duty
furnishes texts for lessons in patriotic
duty today. went back to a wage scale.
In December 1916. committee was ap-
pointed by the House, in recognition Of
the popular feeling. Ito consider the ex-
pediency Of repeating or modifying the
law passed at the last session relative to
the compensation OF members Of Con-
gress." 4 month later. in January. 1917.
the committee made its report 1t bris-
ties with the spirit OF resentment and IN
dignati0n at the violence OF the public
condemnation, but suggests substitute
law to assuage it. Following is part OF
the report:
Lawmakers Resented the Clamor.
'tThe committee cannot perceive the
cause Of excitement or alarm adequate to
the effects which are understood TO have
been produced. The addition to the COM
pensation does not appear to be wrong, so
clearly. and in such dangerous measure,
as to furnish grounds for any degree Of
public inquistude. ANY imputstion so
gross as to impeach the conduct OF the
House Of Representatives in respect 10 its
public obligations. d feeling Of self-re-
spect must compe.' the body to pass over
in silence, and its members must rely on
their own known character. as members
of the Government and as members Of the
to disprove 1t. The House
would not presums to judge whether its
services have deserved any consideration
or respect from the public; but for those
services. such as they are. it has not
sought, nor would accept any reward
which could not be measured cut to it ia
a mere pecuniary compensation.
In the old Congress. under the Confed
Grafton. the members were paid not out Of
the Natlona! Treasury. but by the States
which they represented. The rates Of com
were different in different
States; some paid TO the Delegates IS a
day; others $5. and others less. ana one
State at least paid an annual allowance
OF $500 The average rates amOuu,ed t.
somewhat more than s. q day. and the
was accordingly hXcd al So
a day 10y the law Of 1883
AS IL was foresCen that the deprecla- !
tion of money. or the Increased expense /
1f living, might render this provision in /
adequate, the law was limited IN its du- |
ration iu order that it might be altered. |
Il necessary. at q future period The |
state Of things existing in the Government |
and in the country from 1885 TO the close I
Let 4f Do
5us reasons tO account Tor the c.rcum- !
stance that during TINT period no attempt |
was made 90 raise tine pJy OF members OF |
Congress. IN the meantime the scat OF |
government had been transferred TO the 1
.ity OF Washington. and the eXpease Of |
living instead of returning TO its former /
rate. as was expected by some, has gone |
IN increasing propI cssIvely until money.
u relation 10 the means Of life, does not |
-etain more than half It's former value.
Il Is not incorrect to estimate the eX- /
necessarily attached to seat |
n Congress to twice their former
mount"
Salaries Increased.
The committee waxcd eloquent as It
proceeded with its report: it even grew
continental, though all the time main
aiming an air Of dignihed resentment. Il
howed that no complaint had been made
When Congress increased the salary OF the
Attorucy General from $500 to $4,000 a
ear and gave better pay to all the sub
In all the executive depart
ncnts. Then, waxing indignant, it con-
iuucd:
rs Il according to the principles Of the
Government that the legislative Offices
hould sink in character and Importance
.sInyy any offiFp even in the highest gift |
4 tie Chief Executive? Or can anything
.e moro uupropitious to the success Of
rec government than that the represen-
ativns of thr nennIe should estimate INV |