The Washington herald., 1917-01-21
cRrTIc1zEs SENATORS.
Says Economy Is Not Consistently
Applied by Members of Congress.

Editor The Washington Herald-The
recent statement to the press by Senator
Hoke Smith relative to his reasons for
opposing salary increases to Federal en-
pioyes makes very interesting reading to
any one who has even casual knowledge
OF the gontleman's record as Senator.
II is asking too much of our credulity
TO believe that he has suddenly become
SO solicttous of the public funds as TO de-
cine TO put 1854 salaries on a 1917 basis
Tor the reason that the present state OF
the Treasury would noe permit it to sur
Viye such prodigious milking"
Let US glance over his record to see
how he has earned this self-assumed
title of Watchdog of the Treasury"
July 3, 1916 we see his vote recorded as
declining to favor the amendment reducing
the appropriation for free seeds for Con-
gressmen" from s252.540 to $500 May g.
lsl6, he voted against cutting down the
appropriation for the rivers and harbors
''pork') bill from some $40 o00, 600 to s2o
OOo,oOo. And on the same day he had op-
portunity to vote to cut 1t to So, 900, 600,
but again he voted nay while on the
bill itself he voted strong yea" Last
February and March he voted again and
again against amendments which would
nave guaranteed to the public just returns
from public lands granted to private cor
| porations and individuals by the Shields
waterpower bill. Instead, he voted for
the bill which virtually gave away valu-
| able water rights.
l have not gone into his record as a
watchdog" over appropriations TO spend
| public funds for public buildings, river
| improvements. etc, in the State which
| returns him to the Senate at 1850 per
| annum, 20 cents per mile for travelling
| expenses, generous sums for clerk hire,
stationery and fountain pens TO deserv-
ing constituents. the franking privilege
and numerous other little courtesies from
| a gullible public
Speaking of mileage and salary earned,
| on July 13, 1914, We find Senator Smith
| not voting on an amendment to
House bill proposing to put the mileage
| for Senators at cents per mile. In the
third session of the Sixty-third Congress
Senator Smith was mot voting on over
| l9 per cent of the roll calls, and in the
ilrst session OF the Sixty-fourth Congress
his percentage OF mot voting was nearly
Il. Any fan will tell you that is a pretty
poor batting average
AS the Senator is afraid there will not
be enough money Forthcoming to pay
Federal employees a decent wage let US
see how he has voted on the bills to in
| crease the revenue: On August and
1 y. 1913, he declined thrice to favor amend
| ments increasing the tax on the incomes
| Of the wealthy. The following week he
voted strongly against the proposed tax
| ing of large inheritances. Evidently the
Senator does not draw his friends from
! amongst poor folks"
In fact his record appears TO indicate
| that he believes Federal employees are
! from mighty poor quality OF clay On
August IL. 1872 he voted that the post
| office employees should not be permitted
| 10 organize. May 6, 1912, he was among
| the very few who dared vote against the
| employers liability bill On the eight
! hour day bill We find him carefully mot
voting. Thank God. there were only
! eleven besides himself who voted against
the child labor bill on August s. 1916. No,
we cannot say he is exactly friendly to
those who work for salary or wage. And
he ''tust hates" the civil service, as wit
ness: August e, 1913, he voted three
times against amendments to put income
| tax collectors under Civil Service. June
! ID, 1914. he voted to take the commercial
attaches of the Department of Commerce
out of Civil Service. February o, 1911. he
studiously avoided voting on the obnox-
lous stop watch and bonus" system in
the army appropriation bill. May 2, 1916,
he voted against placing the employees of
| the Farm Loan Board under Civil Serv-
| Ice No one can deny that the Senator
| from Georgia has done all he could to
provide for deserving Democrats"
Now as for Senators Overman, Bryan,
and Robinson. the Democratic members
or the subcommittee on appropriations
| who voted to take the House Wool
worth" g and '10) measure out of the ap-
preparation bill: a casual glance over the
records of these gentlemen will show that
they have been voting much the same as
their colleague. Mr.. Smith. However, in
the hrst session OF the Sixty-fourth Con-
gress, Messrs. Bryan and Robinson were
| recorded as mot voting on IS ana IN ner
cent, respectively. of the roll calls taken
! that session.
II the voters would institute a "stop
watch" system over their Senators. the
taxpayers might get great deal more
Tor the money they pay out In salaries