Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-18
Senator Townsend Thinks
Secretary Ought to Live
On Income.
SEESA BAD PRECEDENT
BriStcW'S Resolution Aimed to
EmbarraSS Official Is Or
dered on the Table.

Washington, D. C., July 18.-"Aside
from the technical and legal question
OF the right of a public servant TO sell
his services twice, the public announce
ment by Mr.. Bryan that a man of his
we'll advertised democratic tastes can
not live on an income of $4,000 a year
presents a moral suggestion for the con-
sideration of the American people,
declared Senator Townsend, republi-
can, of Michigan, in a speech to Inc
senate today.
THE question is simply this: Wheth-
er under the circumstances, il is the
duty of a citizen and public servant
TO modify his style of living to bring
l. within his legitimate income or
whether it Is his privilege to resell his
services in order to cover the cost OF
the style of living he has adopted"
POINTS TO OTHERS.
Townsends speech was an attack
upon the secretary of state for his
proposal of making paid lectures dur
ing his tenure of Office to increase his
Income. He declared other cabinet Of
ficers were Ewing on $4,000 salaries;
that subordinates in the government
departments were not allowed TO do
other work while holding their posi-
tions, and that because of his previous
Pttitude before the people. Bryan
should have felt an obligation to live
within more rigid lines. For more
tiNan 10 years Bryan has been a public
censor of man and measures. He
preached the duties of citizenship and
assumed to establish a standard OF
public service.
INFLUENCE ON SERVICE.
His public acts, therefore, more
than any other man. excepting the
president, are OF influence in fixing
standards OF public service and pub
lie policy. II the American people re-
main silent this time and by their
silence give approval or assent to the
policy Bryan has announced, that at
titude OF an official toward his duties
must be assumed to be a permanent
feature OF our governmental institu-
tions.
AT a time when the most unusual
foreign complications confront US, the
statement OF Bryan that he proposed
TO desert his office, for personal finan-
Clal gain, comes as a shock to all
thoughtful people"
RESOLUTION TABLED.
BY strict party vote, senate demo
Gratis succeeded without debate in
tablng Senator Bristow's resolution
aimed at Secretary Bryan's proposed
lecture tour. calling upon the presi-
dent 10 advise the senate what salary
would be sufficient to keep Bryan con-
tinually at his post. Poindexter and
Borah voted with the democrats to
table the resolution. The vote was Il
TO 20. AS the vote was announced
Bristow faced the democratic mem
hers and declared: You may shut off
debate in the senate, but you cannot
convince the American people that a
secretary Of state may neglect the du.
ties of his office for three months of
the year.
Vice President Marshall ruled Bris-
tow out OF order
Would IL be just and reasonable for
the attorney general to take three
months off and practice law" shouted
Bristow. who refused to be shut out.
Il think there is a condition before
the country that should demand the
attention of congress and the admin
istration In power"
NARDAMAN ASKS QUESTION.
"AIe you really apprehensive," in
terrupted Vardaman: democrat, that
the business of the state department
will suffer because Bryan is occasion
ally away?"
1T has been said ,tnce this dNScus-
sion began" said Bristow, that the
state department is better of with the
secretary away. believe if the secre-
tary would give TO the problems before
him the powers of his great intellect.
he could perform a great service to
the country"
AsHURST CALLS BRISTOW.
There was a sharp exchange between
Bristow and Ashurst when the latter
read a letter intended 10 show Bris-
tow years ago expressed a wish TO be
an isthmi"n canal commissioner, with
the suggestion that he need not spend
much time "on the Job" The letter
was written to Senator Long IN 1906.
Bristow charged that Ashurst had
used 800 OF public funds" TO pay for
teleFrams that should have been paid
cut of his cwn pocket. Ashurst denied
81 and Bristow agreed TO produce the
telegrams
New York-Mrs. Tracy Lewis, wife
Of a wealthy rubber manufacturer OF
Beacon Falls. Conn eluded her nurse