The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-30
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 80, 1869.
TIE LEGISLATIVE JOBS OF 1870.


AS THE people of Philadelphia have reelected
a number of the members of the last Legisla-
ture who we're distinguished for their skill in
earning divvies, and their adroitness in dispos-
ing of public questions to their best pecuni-
ary advantage, these worthless will no doubt
feel fully justified in making bolder and more
desperate strides for plunder at the approach
ing session of 1870 than at any former pc
riod. They can, indeed, scarcely be blamed
fer adopting this pr roftoJIe policy. 1t is now
a we'll .attested fact that disregard of the in
terests of constituents and eagerness to
earn bribes are not, practically, deemed dis
qualifications for legislative positions. Nomi-
mating conventions and voters have ceased to
ask or to care whether applicants for
Harrisburg honors are honest, and since they
have nothing to fear from their over-indul-
gent supporters, they can devote themselves
without disguise or reserve to the one great
object of making money by the exercise of
their official powers. They will be open for
all manner of propositions from all quarters,
and ready to sell out anything in the shape of
votes, laws, and charters to anybody that is
able to pay for their sweet voices. Let specu-
lators, corporations, ayaricious office
holders who seek an increase of fees which
are already exorbitant, and cheg0lierS diH-
6eStrte of every grade, put their wits to work
to devise plans whereby laws of Pennsylvania
can be framed to enrich the few at the ex-
pense of the many. No matter how unjust
or outrageous may be the nature of their
schemes, they will find earnest supporters
among the reelected members, provided
always they are sufficiently comprehensive to
afford handsome margin for a corruption
fund. The people haze decreed that COM
plicity IN Such plots IS no barrier to re-elec-
t5on, and since they are waLing to be sold out
Ou6r and 0yer again, why should not their
chosen favorites make the most of the oppor-
tunities which have been so freely granted?
The control Of the State funds will of course
continue to be marketable commodity, and
the only favor we have to ask of the members
is to see that they are sure Of their pay, this
time, before they tdisapprooe Of 1t. There
is project on foot to increase the
pay of all the Representatives and
Senators: this, too, should be adopted
at the earliest possible moment While they
are making the increase let them not stop at
trihes In old-fashioned times far better men
were content with three dollars per diem
their present pay is nearer ten-but let them
not think of remaining content with such a
paltry sum. Even twenty would not be suffi-
cient. Why not run it up to fifty, or make it
even figures, and call ii o hundred dollars per
day at once2 AS the people are anxious to
be heeced, their favorites should be ready t.
accommodate them to the top of their bent
Let them act on the magnanimous principle
that all that they fail to make or steal now
will only serve to enrich their successors,
and sternly resolve to neglect no available
opportunity for personal aggrandizenent.
There is rumor that grand scheme
is on foot to involve the Commonwealth
In an internal improvement project which will
entail large expenditure. This will
of course not be neglected. Fortunes
have been made before out of appropriations
for similar objects, and why not again ? Let
millions he voted for the nominal object of
deepening and widening canals, but with the
distinct understanding that half of the money
thus disposed of is to go into the pockets of
the legislators. A better excuse for enrich
ing plundering representatives could not well
be devised, and they should make the most of
it, The Metropolitan Police bill may also
prove a good thing. The Democrats are
raising a respectable corruption fund to bribe
Republicans to oppose it, and this is one
promising source of prospective profits But if
our city members can secure the pas
sage of law that will en-
sure the appointment of their
friends upon the new force, and
thus ensure their denomination and re-elec-
ton until they are fairly gorged with the
spoils of Office, they can afford to spurn the
Democratic bribes and do even better by
rejecting than by accepting them. Mean
WHILE measures for the general welfare of the
city and State will continue to be neglected.
1t would be folly to expect bribe for the
simple discharge Of duty, and our members
cannot be expected to waste the precious
moments during which currency could be
earned by the endorsement of schemes of
private or public robbery, in considering use
full laws. Tile people did not send them ia
Harrisburg J0r that purpose. They are com
missioned as pet plunderers and they will
best confirm and strengthen their present
\ popularity by plundering on grand scale at
the coming session of 1870. They have only
10 guard against one thing-they must n0t
ce9ae jdek poor. Let them increase taxation,
sell out everything salable, and pile outrage
on outrage, if they will, but let them put
nioney-plenty of it-in their purses, and
neat fall they will be reelected by perfectly