The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-07

pneSylng tnal, tol SrtNs w NSff1c, sAilS wa
test is to last between the Two old parties
Because the Democratic party is oaiaus 70
the people generally, The rank and file,
or common class Of men, formerly Demo
Gratis, know this, and do NOT want 70 un
dertake the task Of reyiving il, bat the ola
rich head-eentres who have doubled and
Iquadrupled their fortunes by combinations
of Republicans and Democrats in CON
gress, are perfectly willing 10 keep up u
show of opposition, to keep down in this
way the success OF our new movement
They know that new party would have
new men and new measures. And that
reform aud retrenchmeut would sroil the
fat jobs they have still in view under these
old rings and combinations that have been
plundering the people ever since the war
| began.
| CONTEMPT FOR THE FARMERS MOVEMENT,
One of the causes OF corruption In our
| form of government is the existence OF
large numbers who have DO confidence III
the practical working of the theory of self
government They look with contempt
upon farmers movements and labor
unions. All true friends of q government
Of the people will rejoice in any and every
l hpuOol Nhpit Wy illCIS VI aby btAlNi Nt"N"
of laboring citizens to inform themselves
about their rights and duties as citizens.
But there is nothing so alarming TO ring
and combination leaders, or the bad men
having control, AS movement by the mas
SEES. There is now a fair prospect OF sue
cess with this new movement by the PEG
pie. The Republican and Democratic
leaders are rallying all their energies to
suppress the uprising OF men not hereto
fore active in political duties. They are
resortng to all manner OF means to de-
stroy this movement, but will meet with
ignomini0us defeat.
THE PEOPLE LOOK AWAY FROM TRICKsTFRS.
The people are looking away from the
old political tricksters. They are deter
mined on reform aud Ietrenchment They
are determined that this shall be in fact as
we'll as in name, a government of the people.
Such government should harmonic, in
all its acts, with common rights and capac
tiles. Salaries and all other expenses Of
our government, should be in proportion
to the incomes of the mass of the people,
and not OF the few Pomp, style, extrava-
gance, and propensity to waste the hard
earnings of the producers in glittering
show, is as true OF Washington as of Paris
or London. The European governments
are kept in style to suit the aristocracy.
Our government has within a few years
made rapid advances in that direction
To bring this government back to true
Republican simplicity is task of some
magnitude. The mOnopolists Of this coun-
try are just such creatures as those Of Eu-
rope. Those who have been ruling and
shaping laws to suit their own private in
terests, are combined 10 keep the people
from ombining The monopolists support
the Republican party. Some of them call
themselves Democrats, merely as Il blind
to keep. down any new combinations likely
to defeat the party in power. Reforms
come, or are brought about, only when the
masses Of the people free themselves from
old party ties. Bad men, in power new
er were known to reform themselves.
CORRUPTION In PROCURING NOMINATIONS. |
One of the abuses tina. is corruptng our
political system badly, is the practice OF
nominating men who have money and are
willing to spend it in securing their nomi- |
nation and election. The Offices Of our
government are designed for the common |
good The people should never acknowl- |
edge obligations to give any man office, but
select such as are best suited to promote
the general interest, and select them with
out permitting them to carry on cam
palgn.
High salaries are Il source Of great cor
rupton, and not compatible with our ideas |
Of a people government A good man is |
more likely to fill an office with "A low sala
ry, than bad one Bad men will work |
much harder to get into an office with a
high salary than good men. All salaries
should be in proportion to the income OF
the MASSES Of the people. If bad men or
good men succeed in getting nominations,
unless suitable for the position and in har-
mony with the people, our advice would be
to vote them down.
This movement is for the purpose of re
forming abuse in elections, as well as re
duciug the expense Of carrying on the GOV.
ernmont, and to make all classes Of citizens
equal before the law.
CORPORATIONS MUST BE CONTROLLED.
Corporations having great powers and
special privileges, must be compelled to
conform TO reasonable rules aud rcgula-
ions The transportation question is one
If great importance to Illinois. Railway
companies should be prevented by law
rom doing anything opposed to the gener.
Al welfare. W after transportation is one
very eiiectual means of making
CHEAP FREIGHTS.
In support of this statement we quote
from the report of a committee appointed
by u convention held at Rock Island in
March last. tn memoriaIile congress In
speaking Of the Illinois and MichgancanaI
they say;
The tonnage to and from Chicago on
hat canal for the year 1873, was GSS, 92g
unS; the cost Of TRANSPORTING this amount
Continued on third pagc.)