The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-01-21
Ght 99nilg grens,
Independent IN Eoerything.
The Illinois salary.Grahhars

The Illinois Legislature has passed
resolution condemning the Congressional
salary grab. 1t is not all that it should
have been. The House resolution point
edly censured the Illinois Senator's and
Representatives who voted for the grab
The Senate, however, modified the resolu-
ton so as to leave the personal censure
out, and was content to condemn the act
request its repeal, and advise an amend
ment to the Constitution prohibiting sal
ary- grabs in the future. This is enough. at
all events, to rebuke Senator Logan for the
position he has assumed in standing bv the
law in spite of the popular demand for its
repeal 1t is announced that copies Of this
resolution have been forwarded to Senator
Logan aud other Illinois men in Congress.
and not one will d. his duty to his constit
uency who fails to vote for an unconditi2n-
al repeal Of the grab-law In this matter
there is no room for doubt that theI.erisIl.
ture represents the views of the people
So far the Legislature has done its duty.
But the resolution IS not in keeping with
It's own attitude before the people OF the
State. The members Of the Illinois !legis
Iature are themselves salary grabbers ev-
cry day they remain in session. There
are 81 Senators and 1873 Representatives
in the Legislature, making 2O4 in all, who
draw a per diem Of S., or 81 ,020 day. In
a three months session, which seems to be
the shortest term that the Legislature
looks forward to, the pay Of members
alone, would amount to SIC, 800. The 9TH
ler expenses incident to three months
session will be half as much again, and the
whole cost to the State will not fall short
OF 1925, 900 for the next ninety days. This
money is taken directly out Of the people,
whose taxes are already onerous under the
various tax grabs that have been made
A three months session at this time is a
fraud upon the people, who have protested
against it on account Of the violation of the
spirit of the Constitution which, involves,
the absence Of any pressing necessity for
further legislation, the dangerous prece-
: dent it gives, and the general hard times,
which suggest economy and retrenchment
on all sides
Under these circumstances, the Illinois
Legislature cannot consistently call Con
gress to account without at the same time
relieving themselves of the odium that at
taches to the title of salary grabber. Con
gress increased its own salary with re,
troactive provision, and the offense against
the people was that OF taking public money
to which Congressman were not entitled
The Illinois Legislature is holding a SEES
: sion in violation, or at least evasion, O.
law, and in defiance of the demands Of the
people that they shall adjourn. They art
making heavy draft on the public funds
by doing so, and are, therefore, taking
money to which the people believe the!
are not entitled, They are, consequently
, salary grabbers just as much as the Con
gressmen who voted for the increase las
[ March, or who now refuse to vote for tn
repeal of the law The same reasons whicl
have led the Legislature to condemn tn
K, Congressional salary grab will lea
the people to condemn the Leg
=, islative salary grab. If the Illinois Con
e gressmen committed to the salary -gra
a. are to be held to account by tt people
the Illinois Legislators will likewise b
: held to account They should take bee
while there is yet time