The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-03-18
SALARY GRAB SCHEME.

members in the present congress who
still remember the storm of indigna.
ton which swept over the country
something over a quarter of a cen
fury ago when the SALARY grab bill'
was passed and that they also recall
the number of public men who were
relegated to private life because #
their share in the success of the meas
ure. A similar bill is now before con-
gress and it is safe to say that a
majority if not all of the members are
in favor of it, but they lack the cour
age to come out boldly in support Of
the measure and subsequently take
their chances of reelection. In order
that neither party may be accused Of
fathering the bill and in order to pro-
tect everybody some of the senators
and representatives have hit upon the
idea of adopting the community Of
interests" plan and are now quietly
a sentiment in favor of the Hoar meas
ure for the purpose of making it's
adoption unanimous when the time
comes to vote on it. Should the
scheme prove successful both parties
will have to share the responsibility
and neither will have any advantage
ove the other.
The conception is a brilliant one
and shows to what extent men are
willing to go when self interest is at
stake. Party lines are to be obliter
ated in the effort to fill pockets and
saddle an additional load on the peo-
pie. But the people long ago have
ceased to be considered by many of
the men who owe their position to
them and have lost all right to make
complaint. The men whom they send
to Washington undergo a sudden
transformation upon their arrival at
the national capital. They find the
modest way of living to which they
have been accustomed all their lives,
will not do any longer; that social
requirements are made of them which
call for the expenditure of large
amounts of money and that to meet
them they must have more than the
niggardly salary attached to- their po-
sition. The man who has eve worn
anything better than a suit Of ready
made clothing obtained, on credit,
f~o~o +lo x;11o~1 Ioo1or 1oor.,o fhot
such raiment is not considered good
enough for one in his exalted station,
and that beer is too plebian a drink
for a lawmaker of a mighty nation
and that nothing cheaper than cham
payne and pusse cafes should find it's
way down a parched congress
sional throat. Bacon and eggs
may have been good enough
at home, but they are not to be
thought of at Washington and any
thing less than a mansion or Sweet
at one of the most expensive and fash
ionable hosteleries at the national
capital is not good enough for the
Hon. Jonahdab Sludge, NJ. c., from
Punkville when it comes to selecting
an abiding place during his temporary
stay at that same capital. The honor
of the nation is at stake and the
%splendors of government must have
ample representation in the persons
of it's servants. Therefore why
should not the people pay the bills?
The fact that men who in private life
lacked the capacity to earn eve a
modicum of the salary they receive as
congressman suddenly find themselves
unable to get along on $4,000 a year
has nothing to do with the cas- They
are no longer the obscure, puttering
country lawyer or the mar who weigh
ed out sugar and sold calico to his
~neighbors. No, indeed; they are mem
bers of congress and as such have
social and other responsibilities Of
which the common herd knows moth
ing and to properly meet them must
have more money than the law says
they should have. If they have the
right to make laws for others why
then have they not the same right to
make laws for their own special bene-
fit?
The public may protest and grumble,
but in the words of an eminent gen.
tleman now deceased and in whose
footsteps many of u congressman
give evidence Of a desire to tread,
"the public be damned"
They, perhaps, call 1t by some other
name, but the caterer whom they fore
his silverware as souvenirs of the event
his silerware as souvenirs of the event
probably calls it plain stealing and
considers the guests at the luncheon