Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-12-20
REVIEW 0FWORk OF CONGRESS
What Our National Lawmakers Are
Doing From Day to Day
Salaries Increased,

| 0dld44CS xHCAOA0Cus
BY a vote Of log to 1873 the House
IF Representatives refused to increase
from $4,000 to $500 the salaries OF
Senators, members and delegates.
The House, however, by an over
whelming vote, increased the salaries
Of the Vice President, the Speaker Of
the House and members Of the Pres
dents cabinet to $4,000 each.
In an anticipation Of the question
IF increasing salaries coming before
The House there was an exceedingly
large membership and the debate on
The several amendments for increase,
which were offered by Mr.. Littauef,
of New York, to the legislative APP
preparation bill, was followed with
marked interest. After disposlng OF.
The salary question, the House passed
the legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation bill.
Mr.. Littauer, Of New York, opened
The discussion by presenting al
amendment raising the salaries Of the.
Vice President and the Speaker Of the
House to $4,000 per annum He
spoke Of the dignity Of the position Of
Speaker Of the House and said that
everybody recognized that the duties
are arduous and that the pay is UNI
equal.
MI. Underwood, Of Alabama, OPP
posed any further increase of salaries
along the line Of legislative and exec
alive offices. He believed the salaries
Of the minor clerks Of the govern
ment should be increased on account
Of the increased cost Of living.
After several speeches the amend,
ment was adopted by a vote of PA
to Isl, the opposition failing to Sc
cure votes enough to call the ayes
and noes.
Having won a most substantial VIC
tory Mr.. Littauer introduced anothes
amendment as follows:
con and after March 4, 1907, the
compensation Of heads Of executive
departments, who are members of the
Presidents cabinet shall be at the
rate Of $4,000 per annum each"
Mr.. .Littauer held up a large pic,
ture of a president Of a baseball asso.
citation, whose salary had been in.
creased from $4,000 to $4,000 1
year, and contrasted that with the
salaries Of the cabinet. The amend.
ment was adopted 204 to GO.
Mr. Littauer who %retires to private
life with the close of the present Con.
eress, offered a provision raising the
salaries Of Senators and members Of
Congress, delegates and the resident
commissioner from Porto Rico to 81,
500 and on agreement the time fol
the increase to begin was fixed or
March 4, 1909. !.
Salaries May Be Increased.
The House reached an agreement
under which it looks as if there woult
be a vote on the much mooted ques
ton of an increase in the salaries o.
members of Congress, cabinet officers
etc. Mr.. Littauer sought to have tn;
question taken up but MI. Underwoo,
objected at this stage of the proceed
ing. He said, however, that he would
agree to consideration at the conclu
ton Of the reading Of the bill AM
when it shall be reported to the Hous
from the committee of the whole.
During the morning hour in tn
House several resolutions were pass
ed, one aiming at the lumber trus
and calling upon the Secretary O
Commerce and Labor to investigat
the high prices now prevailing il
lumber, and another calling upon tn
Secretary Of the Interior for a de
tailed description of the coal land
withdrawn from public entry sine
July l, 1906.
The House agreed to vote on tn
resolution increasing the salaries O
Senators and Representatives to 81,
500 and making other increases i
official salaries, when the legislativ
J. bill is reported to the House from til
committee Of the whole.
The resolution also fixes the sala
ries of the Vice President and SPEAK
er at $4,000, and Of cabinet officer
at Yl2,UUU.
Senator Dubois on Mr.. Smoot.
The Senate listened to the secon
speech which has been made this Sc:
sion against the continuance of Rec
Smoot as a Senator from Utah. ]
was delivered by Senator Dubois, c
Idaho, who after reviewing in deta
the working Of the Mormon Churcl
and MI. Shoots prominent come
ton Herewith, concluded with tt
charge that President Roosevelt hi
used the weight Of his administratit
to assist the Republican-Mormc
vote in the last election.
Rayner Talks.
2 Much interest was manifested i
the Senate in the position taken
Senator Rayner in his discussion
: the Japanese question. He contendt
. that the inherent rights Of a Sta
could not be violated by treaty al
49, L