The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-01-20
The 9aiIg Arsns.
Monday, January 20, 1878.
LEGISLATIVE swINDLEs.

Congress, and probably every osl.e
Legislature, manages some way 30 inuiree''y
increase their pay, at every session. put
il is generally done under cover OIL iuei'
LIGHTS stationery or repairs. The Door
Leener of each house, or the Ssrgeant-at-
arms r,ovide various articles, such as mem
hers ask for, and bills for fuel, etc, are
made up to cover The steal In Congress
this sort Of stealing has been done, more
or less, for many years. Not every Con
gresham will resort to It, but enough do
it 10 make the swindle not only source OF
profit to themselves, but 20 the Door
keeper, the Sargeantat- and the
middle.men who are necessary to Its sue
cess-who must have commissions ana pro
fits on the articles furnished. But the
new Constitution of this State, in order to
put an end % this sort of stealing by
members and their friends provides in
Section 81. that the pay Of members shall
not be increased, directly or indirectly,
during the term for which they were
elected, and that each member shall be
allowed $50 a session in addition to his
daily pay, which shall be in full for post
age. stationery. newspapers, and all other
incidental expenses and pcrquisites.
Notwithstanding this provision, about
the first thing our present Radical Legis-
hture did was 10 pass n resolution ut the
iustigation Of r. +. Lane Of Hancock, a
Radical providing that the Door keeper
be authorized to call upon the Secretary OF
State for such articles as said Door,
may deem necessary for the use and con
yeuiencc of its members. Under TIL,
comprehensive aud sweeping order tn,
Secretary OF State was placed az the ser
vice Of the Door-keepcr and under hi
command, and the Door-kecper coulo
supply his friends, the members will
everything they desired And in com
mentiug on this violation Of the Constitu
ton TuE ARGUS said was there no
one Democrat among the % who wer
there who had moral courage enough I
defend the Constitution and represent tn
people who sent him? We regret to sa
there was not
Saturday evening we received lette
from Mr. Durham, our Democratic mem
Der, in which he says this resolution Ia
been rescinded Mr. Durham does ne
write us on whose motion the obnoxiou
resolution was rescinded, or whether ther
was any opposition 10 the reconsideration
He says the resolution was passed befor
its effects were seen by the friends of tn
Constitution. - IL is creditable to ther
that they did see it in time to stop tn
steal-but il would have reflected MOI
credit upon their watchfulness of the PEE
pies interests if they had discovered it &
it, introduction and resisted it then
But it is quite obvious that the effort
steal has not yet been abandoned In
Springfield letter To the Chicago TribuH
dated the 18th, we find the following
MATERIALS on REPAIRS.
Mr. Johnston. Of Rock bland introduced a re-.
On provide "such materials or rCpairs' may
actually nccessary~ 20 the comfort Of the me
hDr- uf the House. This Is Of the same tenor
the former resolution, except that the speak
should certify to the materials or repairs actual
necessary. Does repair refer to members 10,
and shucs' II Is rather indefinite 10 say the lea
aud very comprehensive.
For ways that are dark and tricks tn
are vain Mr.. Johnston probably has
superior in the Legislature. If anybo
can invent plausible phrase under viii
the members eau get 'vittles and drink
cigars, gold pens, penkniyes, kid glov,
neck-ties, h'dk'fs, gum shoes oyer Goa
umbrellas, stove pipe hats, or anythi
else they may want, it is the Hon. Z.
Johnston, from Port Byron, Rock Isla
county. We trust that the resolution
Mr. Johnston will be amended so as
accurately define what materials or
pairs, ETC., may be actually necessary
the comfort of the members of {
House, before it passes Let US have
petty Credit Mobilier business in our L,
islaturc.