Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-05-23
HIGHER SALARIES
A BILL PENDING TO INCREASE
GOVERNMENT SALARIES.
A Farming Journal Objects. With Some Good
Reasons. President and Congressman are
Now Pretty Well Paid. Farmers Ask
Consideration.

Consideration.
A bill is now pending in the United
States senate to raise government sal
aries all along the line. 1t is proposed
to give the president SIS 900, cabinet
officers $4,000, and mem bers Of congress
$1,000. The salaries of members of the
supreme court are materially increased.
What do the farmers think OF the pro-
posed large increase? 1t is argued in
favor OF the measure that many presi.
dents Of railroads get larger salary than
is given to the president Of the United
States. That may be true, but, on the
other hand, the president of the railroad
gets nothing from his company but his
salary. Out of that he meets all his own
expenses. If he wants a house he either
rents or buys for himself. If he has
servants. he pays for them. He pays
his own electric light, for his own horse
feed, for the supplies of his own table.
If he wants new furniture he pays for it
himself If he or his family desire to
take a sea voyage he pays the cost.
"This is not the case with the presi-
dent of the United States. The people
furnish him house; the people pay his
gas bills, and nearly all his servant hire,
and liberal allowance is made him for
table expenses, and if he OF his family
take sea voyage he uses government
vessel, the people paying the sailors, the
fuel bill, and all the supplies. and the
cost Of repairs. Under the present
administration the cost of maintaining
the president and his family has increas.
ed enormously, and lie is now asking an
appropriation of 800, 900 to build a new
stable for the eight horses he keeps.
"Good men, able men, all over the
country are eagerly seeking seat in the
congress at the present salary. There is
not governor of any state in the Union
that would not willingly resign his place
as governor if he could become senator
in exchange. Chauncey Depew resigned
a salary of $50 900 as president Of a rail-
road company to accept one Of S. 900 as
United States senator.
"Franklin Murphy, of New Jersey, B.
B. Odell, Of New York, and s. w.
Pennypacker, of Pennsylvania, are
governors Of their respectives states, and
each draws salary of $4,000 year,
and each OF them would gladly trade for
the $1,000 salary and a seat in the sen.
ate. In, fact, in nearly every district in
the country they are actually falling over
each other in the mad race for the
places. In England members of parlia-
ment serve for nothing. and are glad to
do it. This is n republic, and while
public servants should be paid literally.
there is no demand, as their is no neces-
sty, for aping royalty in the profuseness
of display ON the part of the officials. AZ
"When congress shows disposition to
enact some remedial legislation in the
interest of the farmers, such as breaking
down injurious trusts, putting an end to
gambling in futures, which makes the
food and clothing supply Of the country
the plaything OF reckless spectators,
enlarging their markets, it will be time
enough to- ask farmers to sanction an
increase in official salaries. Fully
three hundred members of the house
of representatives depend upon the votes
OF farmers for their position, and there
is not member Of the senate that could
DO elected without the support Of the
farmers. yet what representative in con-
gress, or what senator ever thinks Of the
farmer after taking his seat, at any other
time than the season Of free seed distri-
button? A few packages Of free seeds
are expected to placate the farmer. He
may be oppressed by trusts, may be
victimized by the Spectator, but pack.
age or two OF free seeds. and volume or
two of public documents are sufficient to
reimburse him.
"The labor unions may demand an
eight.hour law, a weekly pay day, and it
is brave member Of congress. who re-
fuses to vote for such laws. The manu-
facturers demand tariff rate that is
almost piohibitive, and it is given them
but nobody listens to any cry from the
farmers. Labor unions are a power,
manufacturers are power, because they
are united. Farmers are powerless be.
cause they are not united. Give the
farmers remedial legislation, and then
come and ask them to sanction the pro.
posed increase OF salaries-and they will
think about it."