Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-04
FAVOR THEIR CLERKS
House Members Vote an Ad-
vance in Helpers Pay.
ADD s216,5oo TO EXPENSES
Former Speaker Cannon Starts Fight
by Moving Increase.
WAR OF WORDS OVER ECONOMY
Discussion Of Legislative, Executive
and Judicial Appropriation Bill
Takes Wide Range.
ADD s216,5OO TO EXPENSES
WAR OF WORDS OVER ECONOMY

| No matter how the democratic policy
Of economy applies to the department
clerks in this city, the democratic
House of Representatives plainly
showed It's mettle yesterday afternoon
| in the debate on the legislative, execu-
tive and Judicial appropriation bill
| when it voted. 5s to 4S, to increase the
salaries Of the secretaries to members
of the House by $500 year each. Led
| by former Speaker Cannon, who in
| troduced the amendment, a storm Of
| insurrection arose against economy so
close to home, and despite the argu-
ments of Representative Johnson
author Of the legislative bill. and Rep
resentative Fitzgerald, chairman Of the
appropriations committee, the House
added 3216.50O by this means to the
| amount carried in the bill 1t was not
a party issue.
To combat the charge that representa-
tives use the salaries appropriated for
their clerks for their own personal gain.
| Representative Bartlett Of Georgia intro
| duced an amendment which will put the
| clerks on the roll of the House, to be
appointed by the members. Heretofore
the money for clerk hire has been paid
Effort to Equalize Janitors' Pay.
After The Stars report yesterday closed,
Representative Driscoll Of New York
tried to equalize the salaries of the jani-
tors of the committee on engrossed bills
and the janitors Of the committees on
election numbers one, two and three. The
tanitor Of the first committee is provided
Tor at $1,000 and the other three at $72O
Ihis failed, and Representative Lever of
south Carolina introduced an amendment
Of six, provided for in the bill. Repre-
sentative Garner Of Texas opposed it,
saving that q session clerk instead of
being benefit is q farce" Representa-
i've Levers amendment finally was
adopted, after Mr.. Mann of Illinois had
opposed the cutting down Of the number
or session clerks. The original number
carried in the House. is nine clerks.
The position held by Grant Jarvis, de-
partment messenger. at $4,000 a year,
was the object of a vigorous assault
by Representative Mann. He moved
10 strike out the lines In the bill pro-
vidfng this position. The language of
the bill gives the minority leader the
power to appoint this employee. Repre-
sentative Mann said the office is
relict Of the democratic minority days
and that the department messenger has
little or no duty to perform. Repre-
resentative Austin Of Tennessee de-
tended the position, and so did Mr.
Moon Of Tennessee. On a vote the
Mann motion was carried and the posi-
ton was stricken out.
Mann Moves an Increase.
Representative Mann asked for 81, 800
for Bert" Kennedy in place OF the
$1,000 allowed him in the bill Mr.
Mann explained that Kennedy is an
old employe of the House and at one
time received $1,000. During the dis
cussion Representative Fitzgerald Of
New York. chairman Of the appropria-
tons committee, made a point of order
against the amendment, but subse-
quenuy withdrew it. Representative
Moon Of Tennessee. however, insisted
posed increase was lost Following
this janitor in the stenographers'
rooms in the House was given a salary
of $3.50 a year in place OF $40 hereto
fore paid him.
Representative Cannons motion to
raise the pay Of representatives clerks
from $1,000 to $4,000 year was the
big feature Of the afternoons session
and the signal for a strenuous politi-
cal debate, in which Mr.. Fitzgerald ac-
grab off $216,5OO a year in addition to
their regular salaries. Representative
Johnson. In charge OF the legislative
| bill. raised a point of order against
this. but precedents were examined,
and after it was stated that the orig
inal pay OF clerks and the pay pro-
vided by law is $1,000 the objection
was overruled by Representative I'm
| of committee on the whole.
Compared With Senate Roll.
The Senate. which has ninety four
| members said former Speaker Cannon,
pays twice as much for clerical help
as does the House, with it's 400 mem
bers., Two thousand dollars is mod
est allowance for the class Of service
needed"
Representative Lever OF South Carolina.
democrat, led the fight In support Of the
proposed amendment. He declared that
the pressure Of business on members had
become so great that more assistance
was imperative.
| At this juncture it was developed that
the $500 carried in the bill was unau-
thorized by law, which fixed the amount
sentative Fowler OF Illinois, democrat, to
offer still another amendment. restoring
| the amount to that figure.
This amount Is as great as that paid
| "who got S. day for their labors. and
who stood in this chamber and fought
| the early battles. This is nothing more
and nothing less than salary grab"
The amendment was lost by an over
whelming vote. Representative Fitzger-
aid then sought to bring the boiling
democrats back into line. He charged
that the Cannon amendment was a re-
publican plot to force the democratic ma
jority into violating it's economy policy.
He excoriated Representative Lever for
leading the insurgeht forces, and assaiIed
his fidelity to the economy plan
Il resent the imputation. shouted Mr..
Lever, springing to his feet. Il do not
propose to let that charge go out to the
country unchallenged. Furthermore, I
am not content to let the country be led
to believe that the gentleman from New
York Is the only real economist in this
House.
Representative Fitzgerald reminded the