The Daily state register. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1870-1872, 1871-02-14
THE EEEAXs OF CONGRESS IN THE
TERRITORIES.

Legislature.
This matter of extra compensation
OF Legislative ".s-.bers by the Terri
tories, has been banded and kicked
about by the politicians in a very ex-
trlordiu1ry manner. All Of the Ter
ritories this side of the Missouri have
increased the per diem provided by
Congressional legislation, drawing an
extra allowance from the Territorial
treasures. This seemed To- be perfectly
corIec- a. long As those legislatures
were Republican in politics. No one
made any objection 80 long rs Repub-
lican members were pocSeting the
money; but a change came over their
financial dreams when the cash com
mcuccd to cover warrants drawn in
favor Of Democratic maiorities. Some
now the Territories changed their pol
iicS, aud Radical Federal officials
grew green and melancholy a. they
Saw the deposits transferred from their
custody 10 the pockets OF those who
drew the cash by virtue OF the laws
which their Radical predecessors had
passed. In different shapes they final
~ brought the subject before the Ter
ritor.aI Courts presided over by Radi-
cal Judges, some OF whom. in different
capacities, had in former years grown
financially plethoric by drawing lib
orally from the same extra Territorial
compensation.
The Judges of Wyoming first broke
into this arrangement by deciding
that a Territorial Legislature had no
power TO authorize additional compen-
sIt.on 10 amy member. The trouble
in tha. Territory grew out of the fact,
that but a triiling additional salary
had been provided for the Judges.
The Idaho Radicals then started on the
same trail. A. long as the Judges and
Executive offices were included, they
had no scruples about accepting the
warrants. They we're usually the first
in the Controllers office a. the begin
u.ng o. every quarter. When their
names were omitted, they suddenly
discovered no authority for anyone 10
draw a dollar. Montana passed a sim
liar Act. Not content TO wal, for a ju-
diciai decision there, after the names
oi certain Federal officers had been
stricken ou.. Radical politicians posted
TO Washington and pressed a bill an
Guiiug the Act O.. line Mont. n Legis-
!a,urc. and forbiddin- any allowance
beyond that provided tor and paid by
I the General Government, ignoring the
principle THAI If q people choose to tax
themselves no ouc else hrts Il right TO
complain. When tina. bill came up
for consideration, a few days ago, i'm
Congress, Mr.. C~aveuaugh, the dele
cato from Montana, moved I o make
the provision general, but the House
refused to do this, In the debate, Mr..
Cavcuaugh said;
II is a very strange thing, Mr.. Speak
or. that this bill should hc made appii-
cable 10 Montana Territory alone. in
stead or embracing all the Territories
OF the United States. Can the gentle
man having charge of this bill give
me onc solitary reason why the Terri
tory rf Montana should hc selected
out from all the other Territories and
its legislature forbidden 10 allow in
creased compensation:
I say let the bill hc made general.
50 that the Democratic Territory 81
Montana shall not bc selected out tor
ihi~ legislation from among the whole
OF them. Why not include Colorado.
which pays its Governor aud Judges
to deN. Why not include Wyoming,
which pays its Governor and Judges.
Why not include New Mexico. Why
rot include Arizona? Why not in
Guide all al them? Why has the gen
tlcmdu attempted to strike this blow
q. n people who have nothing but q
voice. v"-g rgan," ono, I admit-on
the EooT 81 t".- Lg.se. J trust that
every gentleman. both Democratic
ant Republican. VIII vote against
making this i]uVidinuS distinction. 7
desire 10 Impress particularly upon
the Republican side OF the House that
AAA|'NAf tffHAAf~' AtNf hAiAilllliAAHfs vi AAAt
majority oI tho committee. have re-
ported a bill, that j. not in i,~rifa SUI
lc.ent reason why the committee
should loo sustained. The members oi
th" committee. like the rest Of rs. are
ialiIblc. They may make a mistake;
and a, in my Judgment, there appears
on the face of this bill a gross wrong
m selecting my Territory from among
all the other Territories for this legis.
%lation, l hope the bin will he defeated.
Having TINS broken down the al
lowance wherever there is a Defno-
cratic Legislature, by dealing with
each Territory separately, they have
left the Republican Legislatures ic
draw whatever extra compensation
they chose to legislatc for themselves.
Hence we have the Citizen. the organ
of the Radical officials of Arizona
clamoring away for moro money
Congress makes no objection: Arizona
is represented by n Radical delegate
and a Radical Legislature. Ii is :
crime in Montana, but perfectly proper
IN Arizona IN is cnnd lo,v +, pal;..I