The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-01-24
REACH A TR|FLE SHORT
WHEN coNoREssMEN GRABBED
FOR A RAISE.
OlD NOT WANT NAMES ON RECORD.
Amendment Was Carried by 1873 10
s2-Surprisins Tactics Of the
representatives.

Washington, Jan. l9.--In pursuance
Of a careiully.laid plan. devised az
secret meeting OF SONG of the repub'i
can leaders. including Speaker Cannon
an amendment TO the legislative. eXecu
tive and judicial appropriation bill, In
creasing the salary OF members OF con.
gress from $4,000 to $500 a year. was
jammed through the house OF repre-
sentatives. The proceeding possessed
features which were most unusual. and
In some respects was, perhaps. without
parallel in the history OF congress.
Having in mind the exhibition OF COW
ardice which n majority OF the mem
bcrs gave a month ago when, on an aye
and naye vote. they defeated the pro
posed increase. the promoters OF the
scheme had Il all arranged that there
should be no roll call this time. They
had made a manto-man canvass before
hand. aud been assured that there
would be enough votes 10 carry the
proposition. BY fixing II up that there
should be no record OF the vote. every
member who is afraid his constituents
would disapprove OF the increase will
be able 70 claim that he opposed Il
whether he did or not.
There are mighty few men in the
house who are not In favor Of n sub
siantial addition In compensation. but
at least three-dtfhs OF them have a
dread Of antagonlzlng the voters who
send them to congress. and believe
$1,000 a year. along with the various
perqulsites. IL sufficient remuneration.
That IL why the increase was knocked
out last month. and explains also why
the house was bitterly disappointed
when The senate refused TO restore it
when the legislative bin was under con
sideratlcn Of that body a few days
ago
Salary Amendment offered.
when the bill came up before the
house the salary amendment was OF
fcred and agreed to. ard thea the bill
was sent TO conference The statesmen.
so-called. fairly shivercd when Repro
sentative Driscoll. OF New York. insist
ed that there should he an aye and n,
vote SO that the people OF the couatr.
might be familiar with the record an .
understand how the various melberl
stood on the proposition.
There was a feyerish desire on the
part of most OF the members TO have
the amendment disposed OF a. speedily
rs possible. because they were afraid
thot az any moment they might b.
compelled 10 so on record and demon.
strate whether their avarice vas great
or than their courage But Represents
tive littauer, OF New York. had tho
ways all fabricated and IL was not Ions
before the agony was over. On a ris
ing vote the amendment was carried By
1873 to 90.
On tho division being taken the
amendment was declared carried by
ayes 1913. nays 80.
Yeas and Nays Called For.
MT Macon. Of Arkansas. called for
the yeas and nays. but only 80 mem.
bers arose mot a sufficient number
there" declared the speaker. and the
amendment was declared adopted.
The only other action to be taken
with reference 70 this amendment h
for the senate to confirm Il. II will
not again come up in the house unless
the senate should amend the amend
ment The bill was then sent 70 con
ference. the coneerees on the part Of
the house being Messrs. Bingham. Lit
tauer and Livingston.
An hour or more after the house had
adopted the provision for an increase
IN the salaries OF senators and mem
bers the bill was returned 10 tho sen
ate for the purpose OF securing the &C
ton Of that body. but the senate went
into executive session without taking
II mp. The matter IS therefore forced
over until next week