Milford chronicle., 1931-08-21
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE
PAY OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

$4,000. During Washington's Admin
istrations, the United States AttOr-
ney General had so little to do that
it was a part-time job, and its hold
er had to rely ON other sources of
income.
The Cabinet which consisted of
these four original members in 1889
had beNcme a Cabinet of six in 1893.
By then the Secretaries OF State and
the Treasury were raised to $4,000
a year. The Secretaries of War and
the Navy got $4,000, and the AttOr-
ney General and the Postmaster
General drew $4,000. In 1919 the
Secretaries of State, the Treasury,
War and the Navy were given &c.
000 The Postmaster General got a
lift to $4,000. But the Attorney Cen
eral still was the poor member of
the family, on a salary of $3,50O.
In 1853 Congress placed the en-
tire Cabinet on an even basis at
$4,000 a year, and by then there was
a seventh member-the Secretary of
the Interior.
In 1873, the year when the Pres
4dCAAL hClb up " PON3SNNJ ~
general Congress raised Cabinet sal
aries to $4,000 each. In 1907 the
salary was made $4,000, and in
1925, the year when Congress raised
its own salary, the present Cabinet
wage of $4,000 yearly was estab-
lished.
AS for the members of Congress.
The story of their struggles for
living wage is even more full of in
cident. When the United States Gov
ernment came into being, as estab-
lished by the Constitution, under
the Presidency of George Washing
ton, the members of Congress were
treated, from salary standpoint, as
day laborers, and their endeavors in
craftsmanship seem to have been
regarded as piecewOrk At any rate
they were paid a daily wage of $500
and that only while attending ses-
sions of Congress and paying strict
attention to business.
The Speaker of the House alone
Jared better. He received daily pay
of $500 for being Speaker, in addi-
tion to his regular $500 as a repre-
OGnLdllNG llOLl lis ulOLllCLs
In 1916 the Senators, Representa-
tives, and Delegates from the Ter
ritories voted to pay themselves a
yearly salary of $500, with $4,000
to the SpealSer and $4,000 to the
President pro tempore of the Sen
ate when there was no Vice Presi-
dent. But the next year this act was
repealed and the Senators and Rep
resentatives went back to a wage of
$500 for each day of attendance at
sessions. The two exceptions were
the President pro tempore of the
Senate and the Speaker, who got
$500 day extra.
1t was nearly fifty years until
Congress fixed the compensation of
its members at the annual salary of
$4,000 in the Act of August 16, 1856.
But this time the President pro tenn
pore OF the Senate was given $4,000
a year, and the Speaker $4,000.
At the next raise in 1866, we hear
more of the President pro
tempore of the Senate, but Senators,
Representatives and Delegates were
raised to $4,000 a year, and the
Speaker to $4,000. In 1873 these sal
aries were again raised $500 and
$4,000 respectively. In 1907 the
Speaker was given $4,000, while the
of Representatives and Sen
ators remained the same. Since the
Act of March 4, 1926 Senators, Rep
resentatiVes and Delegates have re-
ceiVed the present salary of $4,000
annual1V with the Sneaker raised to
the Cabinet wage of $4,000.
In thus increasing its own pay,
Congress came in for some good
natured banter, but after all it had
been generous to others and modest
toward itself 1t did raise its mem
bers from $500 a day for an honest
days work to $4,000 a year, but it
allowed 1856 years to pass before do
ing so.