New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-04
HOUSE FORGETS ECONOMY
Raises Salaries of Members Sec.
retaries 80 Per Cent.
SMELLS EXPENSES $4,000
Annual Fight Over Reduction of
Mileage Appropriations Ends
in Failure.
frron The Tribune Bureau. J

Washington, May 3.-Whlle representa-
tive FITZGERALD. chairman Of tine Appro-
priations Committee groaned and inquired
sadly, us the Democratic party honest IN
it's promises Of economy" the House voted
to-day to Increase the salaries OF secre-
taries TO members Of that body fr IN $3.50
TO $4,000 a year. The amendment added
about $4,000 10 the legislative, executive
and judicial appropriation bill, which was
under discussion.
Before taking this action the House mao
INDUCED In It's annual fight over he mile
age appropriation for members end hah
refused 10 reduce the mileage allowance
from 70 cents to cents mile.
The liberality with whicn the House
treated its own membership was declared
10 be in unfortunate contrast with the so
called economies practised on the employees
OF other branches OF the government Al
though the legislative budget carries ap-
propriations for more than eleven thousand
salaries. only one increase IN the executive
branch-for a s72O janitor-is provided.
Uncle Joe" Cannon offered the amend
ment to increase from sl.5J to 5000 the
allowance for the clerk hire 81 members.
He asserted the lower sum was insufficient
10 engage all the clerical asslstanc" desired
by a member, and several Democrats.
despite the violent protests OF Mr.. Fitz-
gerald, conceded. The increase was author
lied by the close vote Of IS 10 IS.
Representative Bartlett. Georgia Demo-
crat, displeased several members when he
secured the adoption OF an amendment
which provides that hereafter the clerks
10 members shall be carried on thu House
rolls This makes It possible for the clerk
really 10 get 500 salary. some members
have been in the habit Of paying their
secretaries only part Of the am'unt ap-
propriated for clerical hire and pocketns
the balance.
The Bartlett amendment, which caught
the House unawares, means that hereafter
members must show 10 whom the $500 al
lowance is paid. and IL will be embarrassing
for those who have been parties To "poo.s.
by which one private secretary has filled
in" for two or more members. at consider
able profit to the Legislators.
In a vain attempt 10 rally the Democrats
against the Increase in allowance for cleri-
cal help Mr.. Fitzgerald said:
We might as we'll face the proposition.
Is the Democratic party honest? Does IL
mean what IL claims or has IL been hippo
droming? II has refused 10 increase tie
compensate of employees IN every de-
partment of the government TO stop n"
tremendous outflow OF money from the
Treasury, only TO SuCCumb 10 the propO-
sition that the allowance OF clerk hire ror
members Of this House shall be increased
Let us b. honest. These clerks are
wanted to perform political duties, not
clerical duties
Mt Fitzgerald INDUCED in a nery YER
bal. tilt with Representative Lever. a
South Carolina Democrat. The latter in
sisted that the Appropriation Committees
protestations OF economy were false.
on the other hand. Mr. Lever said. the
Agricultural Committee, OF which he Is a
member, had brought about real economy
without Gripping the efficiency OF the ser
vice.
II may be Just little man from South
Carolina" said Mr.. Lever. holly. glazing
al Mr.. Fitzgerald, but know the differ
ence between an expenditure and an eco
nonlical investment"
lie contended that the Appropriations
Committee mad been sconomizing only In
small things" at the expense OF EN-
cheney
Representative Page, n North Carolina
Democrat, fought for a reduction IN the
1854 600 mileage allowance In the bill
Representative Sherley. % Kentucky, pro-
posed TO limit the allowance TO tho actual
travelling expenses Of a member and his
family, but both propositions were un-
tremendously voted down.
Uncle Joe" Cannon reminded the House
that he had witnessed the annual mile
age hghts' for thirty-ei:ht years and
they had never proved a vote getter for
would-te economists. tie insisted MEM
bers were entitled TO all they received.
and, turning 10 the Democrats. added:
The country does not approve OF such
petty economic. In fact, the country is
raging no more attention to your SO-Called
economies than last years bird nest
Democrats voted with Republicans to
defeat the Page amendment, which was
lost bN "A vote NJ az IN II0