A Member of the Select Committee of 1873 asked Mr. W. E. Baxter, Financial Secretary to the Treasury: "Am I right in thinking that you do not agree with the Chancellor of the Exchequer's declaration with regard to the Treasury? I asked him this question: 'Then it is a popular delusion to believe that the Treasury does exercise a direct control over the expenditure of the Department?' And the Chancellor replied: 'I do not know that it is popular, but it is a delusion; I think that it would be much more popular that the Treasury should exercise no control at all.'" Mr. Baxter replied: "I think that the Chancellor stated it too broadly, and would, probably, if he had been Secretary to the Treasury for two or three years, have found that the Treasury did, in point of fact, go back to some extent over the old expenditure as well as try to stop increases." A moment before, Mr. Baxter had said: "The most unpleasant part, as I find it, of the duty of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury is to resist the constant pressure brought day by day, and almost hour by hour, by Members of Parliament, in order to increase expenditure by increasing the pay of individuals, increasing the pay of classes, and granting large compensations to individuals or to classes." The Chairman of the Committee queried: "And that pressure, which is little known to the public, has given you, and your predecessors in office, I presume, a great deal of thought and a great deal of concern?" Mr. Baxter replied: "As I said before, it is the most unpleasant part of my duties, and it occupies a very great deal of time which probably might be better spent." At this point Mr. Sclater-Booth asked: "You spoke of the constant Parliamentary pressure which has been exercised with a view to increasing salaries or compensations, do you allude to proceedings in Parliament as well as private communications, or only to the latter?" Mr. Baxter replied: "I did in my answer only allude to private communications by letter and conversation in the House, because that was in my mind at the time. But of course my answer might be extended to those motions in the House which are resisted without effect by the Government, and which entail great expenditure upon the country." Mr. Herman queried: "When you speak of the pressure put upon you by Members of Parliament for the increase of pay to classes, and the other points that you named, I suppose that you mean that it is partly party pressure, and that you are more subject to it at the present time than you would be if a Conservative Government were in power?" Mr. Baxter replied: "In my experience it has very little to do with party; men from all quarters of the House are at me from week to week." "Do you mean to say that men opposed to you in political principles apply to you for that sort of thing now?" "Certainly I should wish it to be distinctly understood that they do not ask this as a favor; they do not ask favors of me.