Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-16
House Rejects Increase for
Presidents Secretary.
CAUSE OF A SHARP DEBATE
Amendment Made by the Senate to
Raise Salary to $4,000.
ALSO LOSE
Official Reporters Of the House of
Representatives Deprived of
$1,000 Year Increase.

$1,000 Year Increase.
The conference report on the legislative.
executive and judicial appropriation bill
occupied the attention of the House for
several hours today. BY a large vote the
Senate amendment proposing to increase
ident from $1,000 to $4,000 year was re-
jected. A hot fight against this amend
ment preceded the vote.
Similar action was taken with respect
to a Senate amendment increasing the
salaries Of the official stenographers of
the House from 5000 to $1,000 a year.
The Senate amendment restoring the
position Of second assistant deputy COM
missioner of pensions, which had been
abolished by the House, was agreed to-
The Senate amendment proposing to
increase the salaries OF the official ste
nographers Of the House of Representa-
t1ves from 5000 to $4,000 q year was
voted down. 139 to o. just before this
Representative Fitzgerald of New York
denounced the Senate as impertinent for
sticking this amendment affecting the
House exclusively on the legislative bill
This called forth a protest from Chair
man Tawney Of the appropriations COM
pittee. Mr.. Tawney explained to his COL
leagues that the matter of increasing
the pay of stenographers had been added
after the Legislative bill had been COM
DIotPd
at MS request that the Senate made the
amendment In question
1t was apparent when the Senate
amendment proposing to increase the
from 5000 to $4,000 a year was read
that a lively fight would be made against
the increase. Representative Gillett of
Massachusetts. chairman OF the House
conferees. explained the necessity for the
advance He declared that the greatest
tact was necessary in filling position
of that kind. and that it would be much
easier to obtain the best man for the
position If the salary were raised so as
to give the job greater dignity.
Representative Clayton Of Alabama re-
marked that he supposed the position.
according to this argument, would then
have greater dignity than that of q
senator, a representative or District
judge.
Gillette Argues for Increase.
Mr.. Gillette denied he had intended
to draw any such inference as that,
that most men were willing
to become senators or representatives or
district judges regardless of the salary
and considering only the honor and dig
nifty of the position. He did not think
the President should be forced to employ
young and untried secretary, when,
he fn
would be sufficient incentive to attract
men Of experience and men of sound pO-
litical judgment.
Then you can't buy sufficient dignity
for $1,000" Mr.. Clayton again suggested.
Il didn't say that" Mr.. Gillette re-
Joined mildly.
Representative Fitzgerald then read the
testimony of Secretary to the President
Norton before the appropriations COM
mittee when the legislative bill was I'M
der consideration. prior to it's report to
the House. He pointed out that Mr..
Norton had said nothing to the commit
tee with respect to an increase In his
salary.
this was easily explained. Mr.. Norton
did not advocate an increase in salary be-
cause when he was before the committee
he did not know that he was about to
retire from the position Consequently
he had not advocated that bis own salary
to quit. he urged the committee to give
his successor the proposed $4,000 advance.
Mr. Fitzgerald said he knew the repub-
lican party was in bad way, but did not
realize 1t was in such a condition that no
man of ability sufficiently interested in re-
publicanism and in President Taft could
be found willing to serve as secretary for
5000 year
Representative Fish Also Objects.
Representative Hamilton Fish of
New York also opposed the increase.
He declared that Mr.. Gilletts argument
in favor of the raise in salary really
constituted the best argument against
it, He declared that the Office was the
stepping stone to political preferment
and that the present salary was entire
~ adequate. He ridiculed the idea that
dignity" was essential in this office.
The secretary to the President, said
Mr. Fish," lis merely an executive clerk,
and / hope will always remain one He
concluded his remarks with the state
ment that il the proposed salary increase
We're approved the secretary to the
President would become all swollen up
with Importance.
Representative Rainey of Illinois made
a bitter attack on the Senate amendment
Il see no reason for this increase" he
said Il have been trying for eight years
to find out what are the duties OF the
secretary to the President.
lone of his duties seems to be to pre-
vent members in discharge OF their duties
who have incurred in some way the dis
pleasure of the President, from seeing the
President, even on official business"
olmsted Refuses to Argue.
Representative Olmsted of PENNSYLVANIA
suggested that IL Mr. Ramey really be-
ieyed that he did not care to argue the
subject with him.
He is talking about what he hoped
will happen in the next administration.
suggested Representative Mann of
Illinois.
oh" cried Representative Hefiin of
Alabama, then you concede the demo-
cratic victory in 1922
Mr.. Mann did not reply. After some
general debate vote was taken and
the Senate amendment proposing to
increase the salary of the secretary to
the President was not concurred In by
a vote of 100 to 81.
Representative Fitzgerald then moved
that the House insist upon its dis
agreement to this amendment and his
motion carried almost unanimously.
FIRE DESTROYS CIRCUS.