The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-01-24
REACH TR|FLESHORT
WHEN coNeREssMEN GRABBED
FOR A RAISE.
DID NOT WANT NAMES ON RECORD.
Amendment Was Carried BY 133 to
e2-Surprlslng Tactics of the
Representatives.

Washington, Jan. 19-In pursuanc,
of a carefully-laid plan, devised at s
secret meeting of some of the republi
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 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 a majority of the mem.
bers gave a month ago when, on an aya
and naye vote, they defeated the pro
posed increase, the promoters of the
scheme had it all arranged that there
should be no roll call this time. They
had made man-to-man canvass before
hand, and been assured that there
would be enough votes to carry the
proposition. By fixing it 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 to claim that he opposed it
whether he did or not.
There are mighty few men in the
house who are not in favor of sub
stantial addition in compensation, but
at least three-fitfhs of them have a
dread of antagonizing the voters who
send them to congress, and believe
S., 900 a year, along with the various
perQuisites, is sufficient remuneration.
That is 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 bill was under con.
sideration of that body a few days
ago.
Salary Amendment offered.
When the bill came up before the
house the salary amendment was OF.
fercd and agreed to, and then the bill
was sent to conference. The statesmen,
so-called fairly shivered when Repre-
sentative Driscoll, of New York, insist
ed that there should be an aye and no
vote so that the people of the country
might be familiar with the record and
understand how the various members
stood on the proposition.
There was a feverish desire on the
part of most of the members to have
the amendment disposed of as speedily
as possible, because they were afraid
that at any moment they might be
compelled to go on record and demon
strate whether their avarice was great
er than their courage. But Representa-
tive Littauer of New York, had the
ways all fabricated and it was not long
before the agony was over. On a ris
ing vote the amendment was carried by
1873 to 92.
On the division being taken the
amendment was declared carried by
ayes 1873, nays 92.
Yeas and Nays Called For.
Mr. Macon, of Arkansas, called for
the yeas and nays, but only "a men,
hers arose Not d sufficient number
there" declared the speaker, and the
amendment was declared adopted.
The only other action to be taken
with reference to this amendment is
for the senate to confirm it. 1t will
not again come up in the house unless
the senate should amend the amend
ment. The bill was then sent to con-
ference, the conferees 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 senator's and men,
bers the bill was returned to the sen
ate for the purpose of securing the ac-
tion of that body, but the senate went
into executive session without taking
it up. The matter is therefore forced
nvpr until Onvt Wppk