The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-01-07
Ghe 9aiIg arsns.
Tuesday, January Z, 1878.
Let Us Turn Over a New Leaf.

The wear Of 1873 should be year, o.
reforms. The Republican party hae
beaten the Democratic, and comes nlV9
mower in the General Government anu
most of the States with oyerwheinllhg
strength Such reforms rs are desirable
it cannot plead that il laeks tue apllty 10
effect |. -.
N do away with the cumbrous and out
GROWN farm of the Electoral College, and
allow the popular vote to elect. With
this there must be provisions fitted to all
the contingencies Of death, resignation,
and lunacy Of President and Vice Presi.
dent actual or elect Also, the sense OF
the people should be tested as TO whether
the present exclusion Of foreign born citi-
gems from the highest Offices should remain
of force. Ciyil-service reform needs to be
placed beyond the reach Of Executive am
bition or legislative caprice by such con
stitutional provision as shall give the pub
lie servant the same tenure as the private
II. e., so long as he is honest, ethcient,
and necessary. The crucial point Of turn
ing men out will then receive the safe
guards now contemplated only for the
minor and subsidiary point Of getting men
In. Put in even a rogue and let him know
faithful and necessary, and ten chances 10
one the rogue becomes an honest man.
Put in an honest man and let him know
that despite a dozen successful examina-
tons he can be turned out at any moment,
and the chances are the honest man Is
tempted TO make the most of his hard
won uncertain tenure and become rouge
The rights of American citizens must be
respected abroad, and to this end repre-
sentatives of the United States abroad
must have no mercantile business in con
nectiOn with their eOnsulates. The temp
tation is too great to obliCe the community
with which he traifics at the expense Oi
the individual he is paid to protect, United
States ministers must act as such only-nr
more Washburnes turning their backs OF
Americans in order the better N coddlC
the subjects Of the power at swords point
with the one to which they are accredited
Authors rights likewise need recognition
The piracy Of brains should not be beyonC
the law after 1878. No more rotten
borough States with the Senators of New
York State and the population of New
York City ward. A repeal instant anC
utter Of all Federal laws authorizing
directly or by inference the President o
Congress tO say one set Of men are Gov
ernor judges, and Legislature of Stat
when the people thereof have elected an
other. No more ku klux laws the cleo
ton being over. \ power in the Fedora
and State executives 20 approve one an
disapprove another item in the same az
preparation bill
In State affairs an abandonment Of tn
Capitalization device Of legislative munici
pal commissions n fair trial of the min
GRITTY representation experiment r.
quirement of twO-thirds of all the mem
bers 10 which either House is entitled /
pass money bill, and Of n majority of a
10 pass any other measure a total inhibi
ton of State aid-let men build railroad
as they build carriage factories, at thei
own cost and for their own profit, not a
public cost for private profit, The gallow
for murderers, If necessary by the abol
ton of Jury trials for life and the abrog;
ton of the pardoning power in these case
The cato nine tails for wife-beaters, rol
berg accompanied with personal violenc,
producers or vendors of obscene literatur
and abortiOnists.
In our city affairs we need rapid transi
more policemen, more tiYemen, more l
bOrers on the new docks the clearing
the streets Of projecting door. steps, sign
cellar-doors, slippery coal, air, water al
sewer covers an increase of publ
urinals q thorough inspection and settil
in order Of our rattle-trap halls, churche
theatres, and hotels employment
watchmen in warehouses; municipal civi
service reform and simplihcatiOn of tn
Chinese puzzle the courts
Gentlemen of the opposition, Omnipote
in city State, and country, how many
these and other needed reforms will Y,
vouchsafe in 1873 ?-N Y. World.