Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1906-12-19
CONGRESS AT WORK
What Our National Lawmakers Are Are
Doing From Day to Day
Salaries Increased.

BY vott. of 100 to 1873 the House
Of Representatives refused to increase
from $4,000 to $1,000 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;
ident's cabinet to $4,000 each.
In an anticipation of the question
Of 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.. Littauer,
Of New York, to the legislative ap.
preparation bill, was followed with
marked interest. After disposing Of
the salary question, the House passed
the legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation bill.
Mr.. Littauer, of New York, opened
the discussion by presenting an
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 I'M
equal.
Mr.. Underwood, Of Alabama, op-
posed any further increase of salaries
along the line of legislative and exec
utive 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
mens was adopted by vote of 2l4
to Isl, the opposition failing to Sc
cure votes enough to call the ayes
and noes.
Having won most substantial vic
tsry Mr.. Littauer introduced another
amendment as follows:
"On and after March 4, 1907, the
compensation of heads Of executiys
departments, who are members of the
Presidents cabinet shall be at the
rate. of $4,000 per annum each. /"
Mr.. Littauer held up large pic
ture of a president of a baseball asso-
citation, whose salary had been In
creased from $4,000 to $4,000 a
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-
gress, offered 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 for
the increase to begin was fixed on
March 4, 1909.
Salaries May Be Increased.
The House reached an agreement
under which it looks as ii: if there would
be- a note: on, tthe smuehs meoted ques:
ton Of an increase in the salaries of
members of Congress, cabinet officers,
etc. Mr.. Littauer sought to have the
question taken up but Mr.. Underwood
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 hill and
when it shall be reported to the House
from the committee of the whole.
During the morning hour in the
House several resolutions were pass
ed, one aiming at the lumber trust
and calling upon the Secretary of
Commerce and Labor to investigate
the high prices now prevailing in
lumber, and another calling upon the
Secretary of the Interior for de-
tailed description of the coal lands
withdrawn from public entry since
July l, 1906.
The House agreed to vote on the
resolution increasing the salaries of
Senators and Representatives to ST.
500 and making other increases in
official salaries, when the legislative
bill is reported to the House from the
committee Of the whole.
The resolution also fixes the sala-
ries of the Vice President and Speak
er at $4,000, and of cabinet officers
at $4,000.
Senator Dubois on Mr. smoot.
The Senate listened to the second
speech which has been made this ses.
sion against the continuance of Reed
Smoot as a Senator from Utah. 1t
was delivered by Senator Dubois, OF
Idaho, who after reviewing in detail
the working of the Mormon Church,
and MI. Slnoot's prominent connec'
ton Herewith, concluded with the
charge that President Roosevelt has
used the weight Of his administration
to assist the Republican-Mormon
vote in the last election.
Rayner Talks.
Much interest was manifested IL
the Senate in the position taken by
Senator Rayner in his discussion o!
the japanese question. He eontendec
that the inherent rights of a State
| could not be violated by treaty any
more than they could De violated BY
Congress. To support this he citet
| many adjudicated cases before tn
Supreme Court and arrayed long line'
| of eminent authorities. Mr.. Rayne1
| also gave the cases and the autori
ties Of the other side to the PROPOSE
| ton.
smoot Should Get Out.
At the conclusion of the morning
business in the Senate Senator Bur