The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1908-07-25

To the people of the 4th Congress
siOnal District:
My attention has been called to an
unsigned pamphlet which is being
circulated in this district in reference
to my vote on what is known as the
Mileage Bill during the last session Of
the 5Sth congress. This vote was
cast on March 1St, 1905 during my
first term of service in the 5Sth con-
greSS and about three and half years
ago. 1t was cast to cOnStrue law al
ready in existence and rot to make
any new law or change any old one
and the act was more judicial than
legislative.
There were three sessions Of the
5Sth congress-; the first merged into
the second, then the third followed
according to law. In the last session,
an item was placed on the appropri-
alton bill to allow mileage to sena-
tors, congressman and delegates in
congress for the second session Of the
5Sth congress and this item involved
the construction Of the law fixing the
salary of mem perS Of congress. The
law is substantially in this language
Salaries Of Members Of Congress
shall be $4,000. 90 pei annpm and they
shall have as additional compensation
mileage at the rate of zoe. a mile
going and returning to the national
capital at each session OF Congress-. "
Now it is evident from the wording
of this law that mileage was not al
lowed to reimburse members OF con-
gresS for travelling expenses, because
the amount allowed would greatly eX-
ceed the expenditure. 1t is also CON-
ceded that members Of congress do
not have to travel to receive this
allowance for, if a member iemainS in
Washington from the close Of one SeS-
sion to the beginning Of the next, he
would be as much entitled 20 bis mile
age as those who went home and re-
turned, therefore not having to travel
to receive mileage and the law allow
ing mileage at each session" Of con-
gress as additional compensation,
it seemed to me and to the majority
of the members Of the house that
this was legal allowance to be made
at each session Of congress. If it had
been the purpose Of congress to allow
only actual travelling expenses. it
would have stated this, then the law
would have read as follows:
members of Congress shall be al
lowed the salary Of $4,000 90 per an
mum and actual travelling expenses"
but it seems to me that it was clearly
the purpose of the act of congress to
give members the mileage as ad-
dltional compensation just as another
section of the law gives them 1925 a
year for stationery, which is not
spent for stationery altogether, but it
an additional compensation to the
salary.
On March 3rd. 1873, congress passed
a law, increasing the salary OF men,
bers to S75OO.OO and abolished mile
age and, in lieu thereof, provided
that they should receive only actual
travelling expenses which clearly shows
the congressional construction OF the
first law and that the congress OF
1873 did not regard the former al
lOWduCC VI lIll1CdSS hiSiO Obo'NA Rs"J
and [ was aided in reaching my con-
cluslon by this congressional con-
structiOn. On Jan. goth, 1874, con-
gress repealed the law CT 1873 and
restored the former law, which
have substantially quoted and which
was in existence during the 3rd sss-
sion of the 58th congress.
NV vote on this measure vas cast
i'm an open session Of the House and
upon a roll call, which made perma-
nent and public record. There was
nothing secret or hidden about my
action, bot it was open and public.
Men who intend to do wrong 90 not
usually proceed in this way. was
satisfied at the time that my con-
Struction was correct and think SO
s,et. Whether the law was an unWlse
Ssne does not pertain to this discussion
nd Goes not pertain to my vote. Inc