The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-15
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
B0UsE VOTES DOWN PROPOSED
INCREASE, 1873 TO 1O7,


NASbINuIONs bCO. 10y yC@ eo~ 80
vote Of iO7 to lss the House Of Representa-
lives to-day refused to increas the salaries
Of Senate rs and Representatives In Congress
rom IS 900 to $500 a year, with actual
travelling expenses nstead OF thep present
Eat allow snce OF 20 cents a mile. b action
,,me at the close OF two hours OF rather
ho,sterous debate and was followed by the
rassaUe 81 the Legislative, Executive and
Judicial Appropriation bill. to which the
.slarv increase proposition was offered
ns an amendment. Prior to taking up the
matter Of increasing their " pay the
House adopted an amendment by the
hspdseme majority of ies increasing the
,~alar.es Of the Vice-President, the Speaker
and members of the Cabinet from $4,000 to
Sl?. 900 "A year.
There il not any doubt in the minds OF
most. II not all, the peoples representatives
IN the lower branch OF Congress that the
great majority of their number were In favor
of the proposed increase but we're afraid,
for tear OF e~ndangering their chances OF
POLITICAL preferment, TO vote for IL. Repre-
sentativee Clark OF Florida and Sullivan OF
Massachusetts, frankly said so In the
rpeeches they made in favor OF the increase.
There 10 a hope on the part Of many OF those
who voted against the additional salary
provision that the Senate will have the cour-
ago N adopt it and thus AFFORD the House
an excuse for following suit. But the
senate is an uncertain body.
Onoe before the House, purely for politi-
cal effect, adopted a provision f~orbidding
the sale Of beer, wines and liquors in the
restaurants OF the Capitol. 1t was pretty
generally believed on the House side that
the Senate would reject this probationary
G,ctum. but the senate acquiesced. and
from that day to this the Congressman who
wants an intoxicating drink while he is
At the Capitol must keep it in his committee
room or walk to the nearest saloon, which
- several blocks away.
John Wesley Gaines. who was coura-
tAous enough 10 raise his voice in favor OF
the increase, needed not the low chanting
nv those ~scoffers who sat near him Of this
new version Of an old refrain:
John Wesley Gaines. John Wesley Gaines.
Thou monumental pile of brains.
Come In, John Wesley, for II rains,
John Wesley Gaines, John Wesley Gaines.
The Tennessee Congressman did not
Mace upon grounds Of necessity and right
and Justice his insistenoe that his salary
ebould be increased. He based his argu-
ment upon the self-efacing policy that
as George Washington once put s25 900
N Government money into his own pocket
after saying he did not want 1t no humble
man like John Wesley Gaines had the right
10 refuse an increase OF salary and thus
aeem to place himself upon a higher plane
than the first President.
Am I better than the father Of u
oountry?' cried Mr.. Gaines and not one
Of that listening throng dared to answer
with the truth.
The most humorous and at the same
time most pitiable thing about the vote
M the question Of salary increase was the
wav in which more than a score OF MEM
lara voted one way when their votes we're
not recorded and another way when they
had 10 answer Aye or Nay Onthe first
vote a division was demanded and the
Representatives to be counted. Speaker
lannon's eagle eye detected ka member
IN favor Of and 1873 against the PROPOSE
ton, but when the yeas and nays, were or
,er~d 70 who had voted for the increase
were recorded against 1t.
REPRESENTATIVE Littauer brought UP the
increase proposition In a series OF amend
rnents to the then pending bill. Repre-
sentative BoutelI Of Illinois made the prin-
,ipal speech in opposition. He claimed
that il was honor enough to represent ones
country in the House and money considera-
lions should not cut ally figure. Those who
,roke for the increase contended that theil
services we're worth 10. that many members
lost money by coming to Congress and thai
The expenses of living were increasing.
In accordance with the agreement made
Yesterday, Congressman Littauer OF New
York offered the amendment providing that
after March T., 1907. the salary Of the Vice
President and the Speaker shall be $4,000
year. The amendment was adopted afteI
considerable debate.
Supporting the amendment, Mr.. LittaueI
sald that the existing salary OF these ON
Cers vas in no sense commensurate with
he dignity and duties of the Office. Nc
vice-President or Speaker, he said, could
live as he wa compelled TO do and paJ
his expenses out Of the 5000 salary nov
provided. AS long as so years ago Congress
paid the Speaker a salary twice as larg'
az that Of members.
MIR. Burleson Dem. Tex.)-Whl tn
gentleman state the salary OF the Speake
~ the House Of Commons?
Mr.. Littauer-He is paid s2S ,ooOa year
nesides which a magnificent Gothic mansion
e provided for him. At the end Of hi
service he is made a peer and receives
pension sufficient To maintain his rank
so il the Speaker OF the French Chambe
Of Deputies. He has SIS 900 a year and
regiment Of soldiers for an escort; and tn
hand plays every time he takes his seat
lL~aughter.l
The proposition was opposed by Mr.
Underwood Dem, Ala. who said he dt
not believe there should be any furthe
Increase OF salaries OF legislative and execu
tive officers.
Mr.. Gaines Dem, Tenn. Did not tn
gentleman vote for the increase OF IN
Judges salaries? And are they any bette
than us2
Mr.. Underwood Ccalmly)-I think 40.
Mr.. Gaines (emphaticslly)-Well, | nevs
saw q Judge hat ! thought was a bette
rnan In any way than h gentleman frol
Alabama or myself.