Middletown transcript., 1905-01-21
WASHINGTON LETTER

+ w AsHlNGTON, january l4bn, 1910.
i THE Judiciary Committee of the Senat
now has under advisemeilt bill il
troducted by Senator Gallagher last Marcl
providing that after the Fourth of Marcl
next the salary of the President of th,
United States shall be increased from $50,
600 to $72, 900, of the Vice President ans
of the Cabinet Officers from IS, 600 to $l5,
600, of the Speaker of the House from
5000 to $4,000 and of Senators anG
Representatives from 5000 to 5000
Still more recently bill was introduced
in the House providing for a salary ol
500, 600 for the President, and also pro.
viding that the President after bis retire
ment from office should receive $25, ,00C
a year during his life. These bille are in
no way like the famous salary grab of the
seventies when Congress voted itself not
only increased salaries but back pay, for
the Senate recommendation states that
the bill is not intended to take effect dur
ing the life of the present Congress. 1t
is interesting to observe with what unan.
unity the desire for an increase of the
salary of the President is ielt. Almos
without exception the Senators and Rep
resentatives declare themselves to be in
favor not alone of an increase but of a
permanent income for retired president.
There is concensus of opinion that the
work of the President has vastly in
creased since the law was passed giving
him salary of fifty thousand dollars a
year, and that compared with the COM
pensation paid by other countries to their
rulers the sum of 100000 yearly would
not be large. Concerning the amount to
be paid after the retirement of a Presi-
dent many congressman are emphatic in
saying that it is the business of the coun-
try to see that her ex presidents are pro-
vided for in way that becomes the dig
nifty OF the Office and the Nation. The
Democrats in Congress who have been in
terviewed on the subject are of course less
enthusiastic for they have but one ex.
president and Grover Cleveland is already
wealthy man, and rejecting that
Roosevelt is still young man and after
his term has expired would draw a sal
ary for perhaps forty years. their indiffer-
ence may be understood.
~
Humane people in Washington are
much interested in bill that has passed
the House and is pending in the Senate
to prevent the cutting off the feshy and
bony part of the horses tails-docking as
it is called. The operation is really
severing of an extension of the yertebral
column and besides causing excrutiating
pain it renders the horse defenseless for
all time against tormenting flies. 1t is
urged by the societies for the prevention
of cruelty to animals that all humane
people shall write to their members and
Senators urging their support of this bill.
1t is known as Senate bill 2086 and ap-
plies only to the District of Columbia but
it is probable that in some states, led
by Colorado, have passed such bill,
similar bills will be taken up and passed
in different states. There should in fact
be an amendment to the bill making it a
penal offense to clip horses in the winter
season. Electrical shearing machines are
in use in many stables and remove the
long hair which nature provides all
animals in cold weather, and at the very
season when men and women don extra
warm underclothing, furs and overcoats,
their horses at the behest of cruel fad
or fashion may be seen in Washington
and in other cities naked to the skin in
coldest and wettest weather.
< ~
Senators and Representatives have been
overwhelmed of late by letters, kilograms,
long distance phone messages and mes
sengers direct demanding information re-
garding the probable action of Congress
on the railroad freight rate question.
The business centres of New York,
Pennsylvania and Ohio, and even cities
in the for west are thoroughly alarmed
by the activity of the administration
congressman" who are supposed to be at
work on bill which will cripple the
railways.
Tne agitation of the bill during the
last week and the talk of an extra ses-
sion has produced an apprehension in
industrial and financial circles, affecting
stocks, the writers claim. The answers
sent by Congressman have SO far been re-
assuring and for the most part contain
positive information that Congress is not
to legislate on the subject.
1.-THE panic stricken applicants for infor-
nation SHOULD remember" said one Con.
gresham who had been rather over
whelmed by correspondence on the SUBJ
ject, 'that there is big difference be-
tween recommendation and enactment"
~
Senator w. A. Clark of Montana who
is the wealthiest man in the Senate ar
rived in Washington Thursday from
Paris with his twenty-five year old wife.
Mrs. Clark was the daughter of street
musician of Butte. Montana, who died
leaving family of seven children penni.
less. Senator, the plain "W. A." adopt
ed two of the girls and after educating
this one, married her about three wears
ago. The marriage was not announced
until few months ago, because as the
brave Senator said, he was afraid of his
grown children. Now though the wife
and baby are openly acknowledged
the baby remains in Europe
with its nurses and governesses. If |
Washington society accepts Mrs. Clark |
the Senator will build fine house on
the site of old Stewart Castle, opposite |
the T after tnausiaff fafuana oe tIsa. bo,,,a