San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-08
MADE THEM ENVIOUS


the members investigated" the oil group
to determine whether the price of gaso-
line and other products was fixed"
by the Standard. In the course of the
inquiry, some congressman from the
backwoods learned for the first time that
a member of the House looked like
piker when compared with an official
of one of the major oil companies.
A vice president of the Standard re-
ceiving a salary of $125000. stirred envy
in the hearts of more than one con-
gresham who heard trite admission
10 that effect. Another oil official calm
ly stated as matter of no particular
consequence that he came down to his
office at 9, AN. and quit at PM.
for the sum of 100000 per annum
Then the congressman from back
yonder" pondercd his pay check of $500
and raised his voice in loud wall. Con-
gresham Upshaw of Georgia even asked
the government for a raise. He intro
duced a measure in the House to make
the salary of all members $4,000 d
year instead of $500 and he accom-
panied it with a few observations on
how it feels to be congressman in
these days of high prices and everything.
Said Mr.. Upshaw, according to a
Washington dispatch:
81 am not an expensive man. / lead
a simple life. | don't smoke nor chew
nor do anything that is expensive.
have learned what every one of you
knows. A congressman's salary is not
equal to the countless demands upon
him. About rs per cent Of the members
of this House are dependent upon their
salaries. Many of them have never been
able to bring their families here. Com
PEELED to make the race for reelection
every two years, congressman usually
finds expensive opposition developing
before his campaign expenses have been
covered for the previous time. Ii he
wins it is bad enough. but if he loses
ah gentlemen! 1t is like forcing a man
to pay his own funeral expenses before
the trip to the cemetery begins"
Upshaw said he had started his con-
gressional career with a firm resolve
to save one-half of his salary with which
to educate his children. He declared
many congressman had to borrow money
to meet expenses and that pay vouchers
could be found in banks many months
ahead. All of which is indeed a pitful
state of affairs and should bring tears
to the eyes of the taxpayers in Geor.
gia and-elscwherc.
The plight OF congressman OF
$500 a year in Washington might at
tract wider sympathy but for the fac
that there is no law compelling a mar
to serve a sentence in Congress He
doesn't have to go there II he can carr
$4,000 or like the Standard Oil vice
president, $125,000 a year in some Other
calling and his family needs the money
then he ought to stick to his Job ant
let Congress worry on without him.
As matter of fact there are a mum
Der of congressman who are not wortl
$500 a year to anybody else but til,
government which is accustomed to pay
ing high for mediocre ah;'ity. Most o
Us realize that we pay rrcager salarie:
to public officials, even the president o
the United States.
Bnt it has come about hat running
Ter Congress is such tllankless lcb
- bcset with mudslipging and polite
mat few big men care to undertake it
Hence there seems no good reason VIII,
we ought to pay the present STANDARD