The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-12-10
All Attempts to Increase Sal
aries Fail
BAKER MAKES COMPLAINT
House Passes the Legislative, Exeeu-
tive and judicial Appropriation
Bill Practically as 1t Came
From Committee.

Washington, December 9-The house
today passed the legislative. executive
and judicial appropriation BILL practi-
calIy as it came from the committee.
and adjourned until Monday. The civil
service commission provisions disposed
of, there was no long debate on items
today. Throughout the session the policy
of retrenchment held full sway. and all
attempts to increase salaries failed
The appropriation of $685. 900 for work
in connection with the publication of ma
val records of the rebellion was severely
criticised by Mr.. Perkins of New York,
who asserted that so long as the appro-
priation Is made the work would never
be finished. He believed a time limit
should be set for completing the pub
lication. An amendment by him to cut
off the appropriation was voted down.
On point of order by Mr.. Perkins of
New York the provision appropriating
$4,000 for compensation and expenses of
specialists to make investigation into the
department of commerce and labor, with
the object of securing economic and
btSiiNoS-llhe IntInOOS, Was SIrlCKens OuI.
No Use Made of Money.
In critcizing the paragraph relating to
the bureau Of corporation, Mr. Baker of
New York said his complaint was not
that too much money had been appropri-
ated for the pay of special attorneys, spe-
cial examiners and special agents, but
that no use had been made of the money.
There had been, he said, a demand to In
vestigate what had come to be known as
the trusts What is the result ? Abso-
lutely nothing" He had been assured by a
friend in the department, he said, that
corporation whose books were so kept
shat it could not be ascertained whether
that corporation had made $100, 900, 900 or
Sl,000000 From this he drew the deduction
that either there was a lack of compe-
tency on the part of the men detailed by
the bureau of corporations to make in
designations, or else a lack of intent on
the part of the secretary of commerce and
labor to get at the facts. 1t was, he said
a notorious fact that a steel rail associa-
ton exists, and yet he had been informed
that the house judiciary COMMITTEE you'd
report adversely on his resolution to in
vestigate that association on the ground
1t was a rumor In stentorian tones he de-
clared amid democratic applause, that 1t
was "rumor so strenuous, so terrible.
that it can take the American people by
the throat and exact an undue tribute of
$50, 900 0OO." He ridiculed the idea that any
one did not know Of such an association.
Hands Back Hot Answer.
II never heard of 1t until the gentle
man mentioned it," interjected Mr. Ohm
stead of Pennsylvania.
II am surprised" retorted Mr.. Parker,
that such ignorance is displayed by the
gentleman from Harrisburg, where Penn
sylvania gave five hundred thousand plu-
raility for a man who is supposed to be
a trust buster"
"This result" continued Mr.. Parker,
would not have been accomplished If
the me of Pennsylvania had not listen
ed to the siren song of the few monop-
olists that were running the recent
campaign
On a point of order by Mr.. Maddox, OF
Georgia, the salary for the position of the
chief Of the bureau of manufacture
ers of the department of commerce and
labor was cut out.
The bill and the several amendments
were reported to the house. AS amend
ed. the bill then passed.
Mr.. Palmer, of Pennsylvania, from the
committee on judiciary submitted a sup
Elemental report of the majority of the
committee on the Swayne Impeachment
case. The minority were given until
Monday to file their report.
The house then at 5:25 p. m. adjourned
until Monday.