Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-01-15


cation in last weeks FREEMAN ,criticzing the
expenditures of the recent State Legislature,
says:
very much like the answers To questions
made by your correspondent :. b. K - in
your last issue, and his remarks about Legis-
lative wrong-doing generally.
1t Is very strange that any body OF men
known by the name Of the lawmakers should
suffer such injustice But so it IS, and that
from year to year and almost without any
effort to right the wrong
1t was said by one last fall that the making
and running OF the Montpelier & ST. Johns
bury railroad would save the State. in the
mileage of members of Legislature $1,000
annually. But why so? l. it a matter of
necessity that members should be paid unjust
long mileage, when Just, short mileage should
be paid instead l. it matter Of 1ecessIfV
that mileage must he computed by White
River Junction? No 1t Is not and should
not be- How long will members be willing
10 steal from the government in that way?
. how long If Legislators, who often make
laws to punish wrong-doers, Will DO wrong
themselves, TO what are we tending?
Reform should be our watchw0rd, and
never should we rctrograde in the move
ment, but should press on till all legislative
corruption il at an end
Our correspondents who 50 sharply and
justly rebuke some Of the needless expendi-
lures of our legislatures. VIII find that there
is but one remedy for these and kindred
evils, and that remedy is at the ballot
box In state as well as national finances
the people suffering continually because
Legislators are more careful Of their
pockets than of the pockets OF the people.
The plumber which goes into the pockets of
the members, especially the extra pay and
mileage. is appreciate, while the small
amount which comes out again in the shape
of taxes on that account is comparatively
unnoticed. Whether it il asking too much
of human nature to ask legislator to re-
frain from increasing his own pay, or taking
extra mileage, in order to lessen the annual
taxes, may be question but legislators in
these times are certainly not given to the
exercise of the virtue Of moderation i'll their
assaults upon the treasury.
This growing evil of extravaganza in those
who ought in the strictcst honor 10 guard the
public treasury more ijealousIy than they care
for their private funds, can only be corrected
at the election of senators and representatives
If the people wonld make economy in pub
lie expenditures more prominently an issue
in the choice of legislators than is now
done, there would be some hope of reform !;
but, as it now is, except little scolding,
the legislator who raises his own debenture,
or takes unreasonable mileage, suffers moth
ing at the hands of his constituents. We
know of scarcely an instance in which the
people last fall repudiated any one Of the
members who voted for raising the pay to
three dollars per day; nor do VIC find that
the members who spend from two to fouI
days of each week of the session away from
the business of legislation, thus hinderine
and delaying legislation and doubling the
length of the session, are any less sure
of reelection. Frequent elections are, in
the theory of our government, the proper
defense against the unfaithfulness of public
servants, and if the voters fail to use THU
weapon they have no reason to complain
The power is in their hands and extraya game,
can be checked at once by keeping at homo
those who have squandered the public fund.-
either upon themselves or their favorites.
We suggest to our correspondents, and tt
all who are of like mind with them, the
policy of making retrenchment and reform
prominent issue in the future i'll both stat'
and national politics. Let it not be like toc
MANY of the sermons heard from the pulpit
an advocacy of reform III some other town O.
county. or state, aiming the severity of it
denunciations at the Representatives of som
other constituency, but let It hunt out ant
destroy the evil at home, in ores own tow
and county and state. 1t is easy to rebuk
the representative of another town, but it i
no. quite SO easy to make an issue agains
the representative of ones own town yet
until this is done, reform will make sloy
progress. The preacher who continuall
discourses against the sins Of other congre
cations than his own. seldom gathers soul
into the true kingdom and tie reformer VIII
docs not sturdily fight his battles at HON
seldom gains any victory worth recording
The work of reform will only be hopeful
begun when constituencies make 4 stan
against their own representatives. and kee
unfaithful servants a home. The contagio
of such an example Will spread, and reforl
will be inaugurated in earnest.