164 



CONGRESS, UNITED STATES. 



Mr. Xiblaek, of Indiana, said : " A Urge 

 majority of those coming here can live den in- 

 ly upon the amount of compensation they now 

 receive. This is especially true of tbc gentle- 

 men from the interior or rural districts. The 

 number, therefore, which is really in need 

 of more pay and is fairly entitled to it is 

 comparatively small. If we make the increase 

 proposed, gentlemen in the first place will only 

 spend more money to p-t here, and in the 

 second place, when they get here they will 

 spend more money in living while here. Ue 

 can get along decently without any increase 

 of compensation. Therefore I think it is l>et- 

 t. r lor the country, better for ourselves, bet- 

 t. r lor the politics of the country especially, 

 ! ;ter from every stand-point from which I 

 can view the question, that we should allow 

 the matter of compensation to remain as it is 

 for the present It does seem to me most ex- 

 traordinary indeed to vote ourselves bark pay 

 for the past two years when we have already 

 received the compensation allowed us by law. 

 Other* may do this, but I cannot and will 

 not 



Mr. Randall, of Pennsylvania, said : " When 

 I went into the conference on this bill I found 

 that there were three overshadowing questions 

 beyond all others which were in controversy 

 between the two Houses. The first one that 

 met ns in committee was this question of sala- 

 ries. Upon that question I have uttered no 

 doubtful sound and have made no doubtful 

 record in this House. I have declared to the 

 country and to my constituents that I believed 

 I have earned $7,600 a year since I have been 

 in this Congress, and that I could not live here 

 for leas with my family with any sort of de- 

 cency. I do not know how it may be with 

 members from the rural district*, to whom my 

 friend from Indiana (Mr. Nihlack) has referred, 

 but I could not go into a conference and sug- 

 geat that there should be any difference in this 

 respect between rural members and those who 

 come from cities. 



" There is another consideration npon this 

 question of salaries; almost all members of 

 Congress are compelled, like myself, to keep 

 up a residence here while at the same time 

 retaining their residences within the State 

 from which they come. 



" The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Farns- 



worth) has Ulked about the 'manhood' of 



this report. Why, ,\ r , I wonld like to ask him 



whether it is not more manly to stand here 



and vote deliberately in the face of the whole 



r thi increase than it is for a mein- 



raise bin voice in n dettmirogical strain 



aminat such a proposition and then, as soon 



the law takes effect, to go an.l draw the 



money from the Treasury. Any man here 



who ralnea his Toice ng'aint t |,i- increase 



should not, in my judgment, take the money 



If the measure passes." 



Mr. Hawley, of Connecticut, snid: "I have 

 but one word to say on this subject. I have 



been among those who sincerely hoped that 

 this Congress wonld take some steps toward 

 resumption of specie payments, and the res- 

 toration of a sound currency to this country. 

 The Government of the United States is to-day 

 in a condition of practical bankruptcy and 

 repudiation, with a currency promising to py 

 money, which promise is not fulfilled at the 

 Treasury. Should this currency ever ! 

 stored to a sound basis (and it is the duty of 

 the Federal Government to provide a sorml 

 currency), it would then have at least tweiity- 

 five per cent, greater purchasing power than 

 it lias now. 1 then respectfully Mihniit to the 

 members of this House whether it is not their 

 duty, in accordance with the sound principles of 

 political economy, first to give this country an 

 honest currency, and in that way legitimately 

 increase the salary they already have. 



" Upon the general proposition I have already 

 expressed my opinion with as much vehemence 

 and decision as I could muster at the time. I 

 protested against it then as I especially pro- 

 test against thnt which gives members of 

 Congress $6,000 to put into their pockets for 



Fast services. I continue to protest against it. 

 am not willing to vote for it whether it de- 

 feats this bill or not and whether it makes one 

 or half a dozen extra sessions. That is all." 



Mr. Butler, of Massachusetts, said : " It is 

 said that this is an inauspicious time to raise 

 salaries. In my judgment it is a most auspi- 

 cious time. The presidential election has tak- 

 en place, determining the policy of the coun- 

 try for four years, so that no miserable dema- 

 gogue can make any political capital out of it. 

 Both sides of the House are voting for it ; and 

 he is a mean man that objects to it, and I am 

 satisfied he cannot find men mean enough to 

 reflect him. I put myself npon that prophecy, 

 and yon will see how it comes out; and it 

 will not be a great time till it is determined. 



" We have just had a presidential election ; 

 and do gentlemen reflect that if we refuse to 

 raise the President's salary at this time it can- 

 not be raised under the Constitution for four 

 years ? " 



The question was taken; and it was decided 

 in the affirmative, as follows: 



YIA Messrs. Adams, Avcrill, Banks, Bigby, 

 Bingham, James G. Blair, Boarman, Boles, Buckliy, 

 Burden. Benjamin F. Butler, Roderick R. Butler, 

 Caldwell, Ciirroll. Cobh. Coghlan, Conner, Critclier, 

 Cropland, Darrall, Dickey, DuBooo, Duell. Duke, 

 Rldrldg*. Kllintt, Henry D. Foater, Garfield, Gtr- 

 rett, Got*. CiHlilinga, Golladay, Griffith, Hancock, 

 Hank*. Harm. r. ll.-jn IT, George E. Harria, Hayi, 

 J'>lm W. Hantton, Hemdon, Iloughton, Kendall, 

 Kin;, Lamisnn, Lamport, Lansing, Leach, Lowe, 

 Maynard, McHcnry, McJnnkin, MoHte, McKinney, 

 McNeelv, Benjamin F. Movers, Morey, Morjiliir-, 

 Leonard Myern, Ncgley. 8ila L. Niblack, Pack:,r.l. 

 Isaac C. Parker, Peck, Perec, Perry. Platt. Price, 

 Prindle, Rainey. Randall, John M. Rice, Robinson, 

 John Rogers, Sion H. Rogers, Sargent, Shanks, 

 Sheldon, Sherwood, Sloss, Bnapp, Snydor, Storm, 



