Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-01-19
Legislative Economy.

Legislative Economy.
The federal party, when in the mineri-
y, cry out loudly against any item Of ex-
penditure, however indispensable, as ex-
travagance and party favoritism. This cry
Is well understood blythe people as part
Of federal tactics IN the manufacture of po-
litical capital. But any accident which
places the power Of government wholly
or partially in their hands, directly rever.
Sos ihe case with them, and produces an
entire change of tone upon the subject o:
expenditure and extravaganza. In such
cases they uniformly tax their ingenuity
and the peoples pockets to their n,mos.
capacity, in order to feed up their partizan
favorites, the federal prints and other p,-
liiical ,sols. Their journals then become
not only reckless, but perfectly shameless
in their clamors for legislative or execu-
tire pap. as the case may be, and are cease
less in their horse leach cry Of "give,
give"
Did space permit, we might instance
numerous articles in the Hawk-eye and
Iowa Cry Standard, since the accidental
prevalence Of federal sway in our House
Of Representatives, going clearly to estab.
lish this position. Such shameless yenal-
i,y on their part, as it goes to prejudice
the press in the public mind, by creating
che impression that public journals are
mere political drones and treasury blood
suckers, tends even more TO the injury
Of an honest democratic press which is
90 unfortunate as TO be in any degree de.
pendant upon government patronage, than
their grossest Misrepresentation and most
vioIsrt dennncia,ions whea wholly in the
minority. It's against this baneful inilu-
encc that we are now unfortunately com
PEELED to contend; but we trust Our friends
in the General Assembly will take the
right view o. this matter, and not PERM,
their minds 10 be unduly influenced by
this practical illustration Of the itching
palm in cur opponents. They have now a
rare chance one that may never occur to
them again in the future history of our
Sta,e-snd it is perfectly natural thai they
should make the most Of it.
The policy Of the two Houses, since
the commencement OF the present session,
in respect TO incidental! expenditures, Ear.
ticulsr!y in the item Of printing, presents a
striking contrast. While the lower House,
controlled by mongrel Wing majority,
has been lavish ofits patronage to the fed
eral organ at this city ordering various
unimportant and triiliug bills printed--the
Senate, which has performed more than
twice as much substantial work, has not,
during The frs, two weeks, ordered one
solitary bill printed. Up to the present
time. even, they have only ordered The
printing Of one bill; and that one the most
important Of the .ession-the bill, for a
school law. e.. ..-.. .r-s...
The House has even gone so far as 10
call for an o9eeial report from james Har-
Ian, whom they s;yl superintendent of
Pubic Instruction. in direct contraven-
ton of the constitution and the decision OF
our highest j, dicial tribunal; and that re-
port, bns windsd, verbose and prosy as
it is, they have ordered printed with the
. accompanying documents. This makes "a
good Fat job for the Standard-pro5ably
amounting alone, TO as much as all the
printing that we have Yet done for the
Senate.
On the part Of the Senate, the obser-
vance of this extreme economy has heen
in view Of the straiiened circumstances of
our State treasury, to make the expense
Of the extra session as light as possible;
while such extravaganza on the part Of
the House can find no excuse, except in
that party favortism for which our hypo-
critical opponents are wont to denounce
the democracy. Though we do not re-
gard the Senate's policy in this particular
rs true economy, ye. these remarks are
not made by way Of complaint. The die
position eyinced BY that body is very
laudaLle, though we think their policy
mistaken one. All bills of any import
snce, particularly all Of a general nature,
ought to be printed and laid on the tables
# members before requiring them to act
upon :hs.n. VIII ut ,his,no member can
20 fully unaerstan the provisions Of bill
% to vote Understandings; and it is to
his omission. as the rec ,rds will show,
that nine tenlhs of cur bad and bungiing
legislation is attributable.
The printingis in reality very inpor-
liant and Indispensable part Of The machin-
Dry Of legislation. Yet the more i,nmedi-
lte object of these remarks, is, by a coin.