The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-17
Senate Gets Action on SuperfIuous
Canal Employees.
APPROPRIATION is PASSED
SOME PLAIN TALK IN THE UPPER
HOUSE.

- hAAN A-AffADLA VI otAltultA All OF D-4
business. Set speeches were made by
Mr. Bacon, in advocacy of his amend
ment requiring estimates Tor the canal
commission salaries; by Mr. Allison,
who devoted himself largely to the de-
tails or the bill: by Mr.. Culbers,n. who
criticised the employment of Mr.. Bish-
op as a press agent; by Mr.. Stone.
who criticised the purchase of Amer
lean ships TO carry Panama supplies ia
race of the announced determination 10
SO abroad for vessels under the COM
uitions then existing, ana by Mr.. New
lands. who expressed The opinion that
tHe construction of the canal should
1ave been entrusted TO the geological
Survey
- A substitute for Mr.. BacOn's amend
nfant offered by Mr.. Hale was accept
ed. II specifically requires that con-
gress shall be supplied with regular es-
Inmates Of all salaries, except those
paid to laborers, skilled and unskilled.
Otherwise the bill was passed as re-
ported from committee.
During the debate Mr.. Hale made the
authorized announcement that Mr..
Bishops duties as press agent
would be discontinued.
Mr.. 5aeon's Speech.
When the Panama canal appropria-
tion bill was taken up by the senate
today. Mr. Bacon took the floor iu sup
port of his amendment requiring quar-
terly estimates of the salaries ana 9TH
er expenses Of the canal commission.
He said that under the present system
congress was deprived OF the OppoT-
tunity for proper scrutiny OF the sal
aries paid 10 the commission employees.
Although there were really stronger
grounds for such attempts in the case
or the canal employees than I'm the reg
ular departments of the government,
he said such a course would 60 far to-
ward preventing the extravaganza
practiced on the commission work He
commented on the fact that Mr..
Shonts salary was more than twice a.
much as that paid TO the chief justice
OF the supreme court and said il was
not the policy of the government 10
emulate the high salaries paid by pri-
vate corporations. Even the auditor OF
the commission gets $4,000, while the
man who passes upon his work &c
ceives only $4,000 and tine executive
head of the department, the secretary
OF war. only SS,0Uo.
No Mans Services Worth $4,000
In my humble Judgment he said.
sIhe man does not live whose personal
services are worth $4,000"
He said in reply go Mr. Spooner that
he thought the $50 900 paid the chief
Iengineer OF the commission too great.
81 would not pay any of them more
than the chief justice is paid the
Georgia senator declared.
Mr. Spooner expressed the opinion
Ia. q. v.v.aafaaF4t RTruhf 80 ha
sufncient latitude in the matter of sal
ery TO secure the best possible engin-
sScring talent saying that the compeu-
ton among railroads for such talent
Mas such that it could not be procured
NJ small pay.
Monstrous Proposition.
SNI~. Bacon. referring to the payment
Tor $4,000 To the canal commission au-
ditor. said:
1T is perfectly monsuous that this
subordinate officer should be paid 20
Der cent more than Is paid To the sec
sretarv OF war or TO the secretary Of
the treasury. the head Of the tinancia!
system of the entire government
single senator would say that the SAL
sar.es should not be reduced, and he
paused to near from any one who
might think otherwise. No one re-
sponded directly, but Mr.. Gallinger eX-
dressed the opinion that Mr.. TatJ's tes-
ztimony before the committee on appro-
priations supplied good reasons for the
payment of high salary 70 the COM
EMISSIONS auditor
Mr.. Bacon expressed tie opinion tha,
zhigh salaries We're largely responsible
for the defalcatiOns So frequently re-
ported. The government could not. he
zconceded, control the private corpora
sfions. but IL does not become us 10
Hollow their example and thus become
res ponsible for debauching the young
amen of the country.
Allison in Defense.
Mr.. Allison replied to Mr.. Bacon
speaking i'm general OF the canal sal
zaries, M. Allison said.
81 do not think the canal can be con-
#structed upon the basis suggested by
the senator from Georgia. ut least. as
4respects the higher places"
He said that he had had personal
SxnuWledgc of the rcfuSals ON the part
~ engineers To engage i'm the canal
work. and he had understood that AR
zStevens had refused to take the place
q FOR less than $50 900.
IL was contended by Mr.. Teller that
What was needed I'm The construction OF
he canal was man OF executive
ability.
q Mr.. Allison agreed that a business
nnan was needed i'm the construction NJ
the canal and said he believed that
4vas what the president had i'm mind
when he employed MI. Shou-g
Bishop Gets Too Much.
q Mr.. Gannger then spoke on The mer-
It of the salary roll, saying that he
pad believed that Mr.. Shonts' salary is
81 90 nigh. aud he was certain that the
10 100 paid Mr. Bishop as a press
hgeut" is beyond al reason, and /
hope" he said. that in due time the
eentleman viii perform more work or
81 that his salary viii be reduced To $1,000
&he sum paid his predecessor" With
these and perhaps Il few other eXcep-
81 ions. ne believed the payroll reason
able.
Sir. Culberson supported his amend
anent providing that no part Of the
money appropriated shall be paid FOR
he maintenance OF a literary bureau,
- said ID Is not aimed at any individ-
sal and that he believed Mr. Bishop 10
Sbe an honest. candid and straightfor-
Eard man. and he had found him more
zIrank in defining his duties than either
Secretary Taft or Mr.. Shouis had been.
dr. CulberE0n understood. he said
that direct assurance had been given
- the administration that the position
occupied BY Mr. Bishop would be abOl-
5shed. and with that assurance in view
ke would at the nroper time withdraw
he amendment
Continued on Page 2.