Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-22
SUNDRY CIVIL BILL
DEBATE ON PRESI-
DENTS TRAVELLING EXPENSES.

The Senate continued the discussion Of the
sundry civil appropriation bill yesterday af-
ternoon after the type Of the Panama canal
had been determined.
Senator .McCumber opposed the amend
ment for the payment of the Presidents
travelling accounts. He entered into an ar
gument to show that the proposed law
would have the effect of abrogating the
anti-pass law. If he said. looking at Sen
ator Hemenway, who sat directly In front OF
him, 1.-The senator should accept a pass
from a railroad company the prison bars
would be opened to let him in, but II the
President should invite him to ride with
him the law could not interfere with him..
1t amounted to saying that there is one law
for those who hold office and another for
those who do not and none for those who
hold the highest office.
Mr.. Bailey's Suggestion.
Senator Hale called attention to the fact
that the salary of the President of the
United States cannot be increased SO as to
make the increase apply to the present ex-
ecutive, and Senator Bailey suggested that
an increase be provided and that the In
crease be made applicable to the next in
cumbent. He admitted that there might be
a need for present enlargement OF the exec
utive income, saying that he had heard that
there had been increase of 100000 In ex-
penses during the incumbency of the present
President. Il don't know how that may be-"
he said, "and all that l have to say Is
that If 1t ia true he has cost more and Is
worth less than any President We have ever
had"
Resuming his speech Mr.. McCumber
entered upon a long argument to show that
the $4,000 proposed to be appropriated
would be an "emolument" and that on this
h1 nVcf{-
tutional
Mr.. spooner's Position.
Senator Spooner took the position that an
emolument Is something that you can put
In your Office" and commended that Mr..
McCumber had interpreted the word too
broadly. He thought the proposed approprt-
alton could be used by the President only
in paying travelling expenses while on off,
cial duty. but Mr.. McCumber replied that
1t Is not necessary that the President should
travel in order to perform his official acts.
Senator Carmack declared that no expenses
had ever been incurred by the President on
official business, and Mr. Spooner expressed
the opinion that President Mckinley was
on official duty when he went to Buffalo,
Mr.. McCumber also found in the provision
a tendency toward European systems per-
hitting retinue. He said we might well
look forward to the time when there would
be chamberlains keepers Of this thing and
l.
world methods.
Senator Hemenway said that the Presi-
dent did not travel over the country be-
cause he wanted to travel, but because the
people Of the country wanted him in various
localities. He also said that 1t was right and
proper that he should invite representatives
of the newspapers to accompany him, and
also that a similar invitation should be
extended to friends when circumstances
make 1t proper. He did not regard the APP
preparation as an Increase of the Presidents
salary The intention was to bring the
President and the people together there
was nothing smacktng of old world Gus
toms.
Mr.. Ti1lman's Question
Senator Tillman asked Mr.. Hemenway II
1t intended that the President should
use the appropriation in travelling for cam
paign purposes-in going from one place
to another Ito help out lame ducks who
want to get back to the Senate or the
House but the Indiana senator, while ad-
hitting that the expenditure must be con-
trolled by the President in $ discretion,
did not believe 1t would be abused. He was
certain it would not be by the present ex-
ecutive. He stated that the President could
secure gain mot a single red cent"
hence there was mo emolument" no
compensation"
What's the use then" he asked, ''of
spending hours here talking about the Con-
stitution? The people want to see the Presi-
dent and they are willing to pay for the
privilege"
Mr.. McCumber met the point by saying
that to save Is to gain. and that gain is an
emolument." The appropriation would save
money to the President, and would thus
prove an emolument.
The amendment was still under consider
alton when the Senate went into executive
session.