The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-02-27
Reform.

During the late Presidential campaign,
the new departure party made speciality
of the above text, and their stump ora
.ors we'll understanding its force and
power to Influence the masses, paraded it
constantly before thefpeople till their star
set in the death OF Mr.. Greeley, and the
defeat of the party was imminent. On the
other hand, the Administration speakers
were eloquent in laudation of the honesty
and the purity of intention Of the Ad-
mlnistration, and all in office at the seat
Of Government. While We doSnot, and
never had reason to doubt the honesty of
his excellency, Mr.. Grant, certain rela-
tons in the Credit Mobilier,and the cleo
ton Of certain United States Senator's
show that the cry,o of Reform raised by the
opposition had more than political sig
nlfcance. The tidal-wi.ve set in motion
by the instigators at Wa hington, and the
abolishment Of the Thanking Privilege,
must roll on, till Reform takes placs that
the nee essities Of the times. and crcum-
stances demand. The next thing in or
der is cheaper rate of letter and nows-
paper postage on transient papers. An
amendment to the Constitution, so that
the President and United Stutes Senators
may be elected by direct vote of the
people. Then members of Legislatures
will be free from the bribery OF designing
politicians and Rail Road and Credit
Mobilier monopolies. Then the people
can understand who they are voting for,
and the lobby and caucus ring will be-
come the history OF the past. -
State Legislatures must be made to un
derstand that they are elected to repre-
sent the will Of the people, and not Of
PaIlroad monopoliea. They must pass an
act limiting the power of extortion prac
ticed by those monopolies, and place them
on the same general footing Of all prop
erty holding tax payirg individuals AID
while they are granted certain rights as
public benefactors, the freight and pas
senger tariff of their roads, and their
management must be such, that they do
not becoma public robbers instead of
public benefactors. As preliminary in
this direction, let all Legislators pass on
act making it felony, for any member of
the Legislature to receive a free pass from
any Railroad company during such term
of office. And while these grave law
makers are doctoring away these evils,
let them also amend or abolish that act,
giving to each member thirty or forty
dollars worth of postage stamps, as much
stationary, as much more in daily papers,
and general outfit sufficient to ft up an
elaborate counting house, consisting OF
knives shears, pens, holders, eracers, SC.
with surplus Ofbound laws, pamphlets
&c, and State carpenter to furnish lum
: Der and make boxes in which to ship this
plumber from the State home. To such
an extent is this carried, aud such IS the
amount received by all holding the most
petty office, that many sell and trade of
at low price where ever they can, much
that they have no earthly use for. One
step more, let the session OF the Legisli-
ture be biennial, then the expense will be
less, and laws will have chance to be
, printed before they are repealed. Let
the salary of members be such that they
can afford to serve faithfully, and buy
their owu stamps and stationary. Let the
laws that are printed belong to the State
and after members have used them in
State service, let them return them to the
State, or pay for them. We see no good
reason that they, more than their con-
stituency are entitled to q large number
Of laws printed at the expense Of the
, State, that they never or seldom look into
after their ten or twelve weeks term OF
Office expires. The farming class are
groaning beneath the burden Of crushing
monopolIea, the product OF their labor
not paying four per cent, on the amount
Invested, heavy taxes paral, zing their
efforts, and every class Of business legls-
lating and lobbying,by bribery and fraud
against them. These are q few of the Re
forms that are the demand of the hour,
and if the farming class of the broad prai-
ries of the West are truly awake to their