The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-12
TIE BORDER RALD BILL.


The scheme for fleeing the taxpayers of
Pennsylvania, which has been aptly called
the Border Raid bill, has received the en-
dorsement of the Committee of Ways and
Means of the lower branch of the State
Legislature. Our viglsnt Harrisburg corre-
spondent informs us that this extraordinary
action is not attributed to the intrinsic merits
of the proposed measure, and he does not
even insinuate that the influences which are
popularly supposed to be most powerful with
legislators and legislative committees we're
employed. He tells us that the favorable
report was procured by ''the pathetic appeals
of member from Franklin county, who is
said to have been affected almost to tears"
If this explanation is correct, Pennsyl-
vania must no longer be derided
as the home of the phlegmatio German and
the prudent Quaker. If there is any sense
or stamina in her representative men, some
little share at least of these qualities should be
infused into the committee chosen to decide
how the revenues of the State shall be disbursod.
Yet we are told that these sagacious fnanciers
have suffered themselves to be moved by
pathos to recommend that millions of money
be voted away. And if anybody wonders how
or why the appeals of melting charity
proved SO efficacious, he need only
be reminded that it is said that the
list of members of the committee voting
for the bill embraces two of the shining
lights of the Philadelphia delegation-the
philanthropic Josephs and the sympathetic
Davis Pure and tender hearts like theirs
cannot be expected to resist the temptation
to vote away the money of their constituents,
when payment is demanded for the old bon
nets, worn-out boots, fenee-rails, hoops, and
petticoats carried of by the Rebels Tho
passage of the Border Raid bill will practi-
cally impose new tax of one dollar on
nearly every man, woman, and child in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 1t will give
to claim spectators, lobbyists, and their
Legislative allies, at one fell swoop, nearly as
much money as the State Treasury
contributes in ten years to the sup
port of common schools. But what of that
The member from Franklin county was af-
fected-not quite, but aInaOst, to tears-and
what right have taxpayers to expect the
Committee of Ways and Means to protect
their interests against such heart-rending
appeal? 1t is not even pretended that the
State is bound IN justice to pay the border
claim bills, but who can resist the claims of
charity? 1t has been proposed that the SOL
diers orphans schools should be broken up,
and it has been decided over and over again
that the State cannot afford to make liberal
appropriations from the State Treasury for
other educational purposes, and that it has
not the means to do, in a liberal spirit,
single useful thing for the general
welfare, but why should the Committee of
Ways and Means care for such bagatelle as
two or three millions of dollars when the
member from Franklin county almost cries
His tears must be stopped at any price. Some
men are SO sternly constituted that even the
sobs and sighs of the gentler sex would
scarcely impel them to deplete their pocket
books. But let Philadelphians rejoice that
Davis and Josephs do not belong
to this heartless category. They are ready to
mulct their constituents in an expenditure
which will cost this city alone nearly a million
of dollars, and they do not even wait until
the gushing Franklin county member begins
to weep, but they nobly rush forward to
arrest the briny flow with three millions of
greenbacks. After this exhibition of their
goodness, who will dare to deny that the
voters of this city acted wisely in re-elect-
ing last fall such paragons of humanity?
-------------------