Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-14
INCREASE OF SALARIES
Proposition Discussed by the
House.
SPEAKERS PAY RAISED
More Compensation Voted to tho
Cabinet.
$4,000 FOR VICE PRESIDENT
Lively Debate Over the Attempt to
Give More to Repre-

The great question OF congressional sal.
aries came up in the House this afternoon
a little before O'Clock. and 1t wasn't long
before the word had been passed that there
might be something doing along this line
and every member was in his seat Repre-
| sentative Littauer of New York. who will
retire from Congress at the end of the pres-
ent session, started the ball rolling by his
proposition to Increase the salaries of the
Vice President and the Speaker of the
House to $4,000 per year.
| Ihis went through like a creased pig Tho
| proposition to increase the salaries of the
members of the cabinet to S12 900 followed
| suit in no time.
Then came the proposition to boost SEM
| ators representatives and delegates I'm Con-
| gress from 5000 40 $3.50 year and TO
| cut out mileage leaving members to draw
merely their actual travelling expenses trav-
| ellng to and from sessions of Congress
Early in the discussion Representative
| Butier or pennsylvania offered amend
| ment TO the Littauer proposition to make
| the salaries to go into effect with the
| Sixtyfirst Congress. Upon this proposition
! Representative Underwood of Alabama
| talked for five minutes. but as every other
congressman was talking to his neighbor
| at the same time the official stencgra pher
| is the only one who knows what Mr. I'm
| derwood had to say. He has several times
In the past, however, expressed his OPPOSE
l .
| constituents went pat that line of con-
| yersation.
Mr.. Boutell Opposed.
Representative Boutell OF Illinois, promi-
| nent figure on the republican side was
| heard with more attention. Mr.. Boutell op-
| posed the proposition. He thought that to
| increase the compensation of a member Of
Congress would mean to decrease the honor
Of service in the national legislature.
This House is the greatest legislative
| BODY that ever assembled in the history
| of the world" declared Nr. Bou;eIl. Menu
hership in this House is the greatest honor
that can possibly be conferred by an cleo
| forate.
'It should be considered as such a great
| honor that the compensation should be
| merely secondary consideration. / say
that In attempting to make membership in
| this House adequately compensated You
necessarily diminish the honor of service.
Many members would make an effort to
come here If they received compensa-
| ton at all. 1 personally know many of
| them who have renounced a great deal
| more than 1850 q year in order to secure
| and retain their seat in this great body.
LAS hard as find 1t to get along on my
present salary of 5000, / would make an
effort even to the point of beggarly econ
omy to retain my seat in the House IL every
cent of COMPENSATION were to be cut off,
Favors the Increase.
Representative Clark of Florida a demo.
| crat, made an impassioned and eloquent an
| peal to the House to forsake its usual
| hypocrisy and come out for the increase
He urged 1t to look at the matter from a
practical standpoint and from the stand
| point of right and justice.
| Are these salaries adequate?' he asked
| You know they are not! l know they are
| not. They should certainly be increased lie
only from the standpoint OF the duties a
| member has to perform. come from a
district that 1 know will stand by me when
| / vote to increase salaries of members Of
| Congress. Ny people are In favor of decent
| pay. The government Of the United States
! ought not to require services without ade-
| quate compensation.
| Not one of us but in private converse.
ton will admit that 5000 year is not an
adequate compensation. intend TO vote on
| this and every other proposition that comes
up as long as ! am here that think right.
4 It is impossible to maintain an average
considered. on $1,000 year.
! And l wouldn't come to Congress even
as senator for long session Of seven or
eight or nine months and be forced be- 3
cause Of the inadequate pay to leave tho
| wife Of my bosom and the children of my
heart behind me. What is more, II II IS
| right to have these salaries increased from
| March 4. 1909. It is right to have them in
| creased from 1907.
II intend If the amendment of Represen-
| tative Butler of Pennsylvania is voted
down to offer an amendment making the
| increase go into effect with the next ses-
sion of Congress.
| You cannot deceive the American peo-
pie by subterfuge, although some gentle
| men think they can and will try. They
will vote against this proposition, hoping
| to God that it will pass just the same
Wouldn't Increase Expense
Representative Livingston of Georgia,
member of the appropriations committee,
called the attention of members to the fact
| that the proposed increase to $500, with
the elimination of mileage and the substi-
tuition. of actual expenses of members in
| attending sessions would not call for any
more money to be expended from the treas
ury than is now paid out on the 5000
basis.
Representative Sullivan of Massachusetts
urged the passage of the increase propo-
sitton.
members Of which receive no salaries Mr.
Sullivan said that this had resulted In the
constituencies OF many patriotic Irfshmen
being compelled to contribute for their sup
port
II salaries were not increased Mr.. Sulli-
can insisted that In few years there
would be but two classes of men in the
Honse-idle rich and professional politicians
both equally Objectionable
Representative S,mms of Tennessee Of
fered an amendment making the increase
effective in 1907.
Representative Gaines said he had let
ter from Senator Tlllman saying that II his
salary wasn't raised he would starve to
death.
who would want to cause poor Senator
Tillman to starve?" cried Mr.. Simms rais-
ing his hands in mock horror.
Gen. Grosvenor of Ohio spoke of the in
crease as absolutely justified by present
conditions in the country.
Representative Jones of Washington In
troduced bill providing for an increase OF
20 per cent in the salaries OF all employees
Of the government.
shah,s Condition Critical.