The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-05-09

Tn order TO conceal the frauds and cor
ruption which are so notorious at Wash
ington. tho Republican majority in Con-
gress have resorted to the desperate expe-
dent of suppressing official information.
The Speaker Of the House has fagrantly
violated all the usages Of that body in his
efforts to second this sort Of deception by
an abuse of the rules.
When the report Of the Secretary of the
Treasury in relation to the Sanborn extor-
tons was sent in, Mr.. Blaine and his in
struments at the Clerks desk were conspic-
uous in their efforts to stiAe it and to pre-
vent publicity. So when thereport on the
Freedman's Bank was communicated, a
shameful trick was practised by which the
printing was prevented.
These are only two examples of an arbi-
trary exercise Of power by the Speaker to
exclude knowledge from the people to
which they are jnstly entitled. But it has
been used with as little scruple in many
other cases equally bold and indefensible.
To effect result collision and preconcert
were indispensable.
1t is manifest that various officers of
the House charged with responsible du-
ties, who are. drawing enormous annual
salaries for service which averages only
four and half months of the year, must
either have combined with MIR. Blaine be-
forehand in regard to these exceptional
acts or have obeyed him without question
when he ordered their cooperation. One
or the other conclusion is inevitable, and
either is alike discreditable to the Speaker.
A glaring wrong was perpetrated in this
respect at the opening OF the present Con-
gress The act Of August &c, 1912, re-.
quires that the Clerk of the House of Rep-
Tesentatives shall report at the opening of
every session a detailed statement of the
manner in which its contingent fund has
been expended. Half million and more
OF dollars IS usually covered by this report,
and 1t is one OF the documents most sought
after by the public at large.
In compliance, with the law the Clerk
submitted his report as soon as the House
was organized. His shirts are therefore
clear. OF responsibility. The invariable
practice has been to refer and order it to
De printed. forthwith. BY some secret
management it went to the Committee on
Appropriations, and now, after five months
have passed away, it is still buried there
out Of sight.
It was of Importance that the House
should have had the use of this document
pending the consideration of the Legisla,
tive Executive, and Judicial Approx, "a
ton bill which has just been finish" q A
the employees of the House, - no crowd .
salaried supernumeraries : i, tho documen
ana Iolding rooms r. &c extravagant pur
t .uaS', sno iu@" lous fittings, the commu
oa.ion u NV ,.nbers' allowance for station
;ta, An' papers in ready money, and othe
Us equally interesting, are set forth il
this report.
The fact that it contains this informa
ton, upon which the country has become
inquisitive in view of the abuses that hav
been practiced, is doubtless the true mo
tive for its being suppressed. That, how
ever, is a greater reason why Mr.. Garfiel'
and his confederates on the committe
should be held to strict account for an &C
which is entirely indefensible in any publ
aspect, The trick is understood to be tn
work of Mr. Starkweather, a member o
that committee 1t is quite worthy Of tn
man and his morals, and consistent wit
his demand upon the Washington Ring fc
money without giving publicity to it. y
The great public is not concerned aboU
the individual iniquity, whether it fall
properly on Mr. Garfield or Mr. Stark
weather. The Committee on Appropria
tons got possession of this document, ant
have Kept it concealed. The fact stand
out plainly, and no lame explanation wi
relieve the majority from wilful desig
to suppress the truth, because it would ex
pose them to deserved censure for profigat
expenditures,
There is a short way of compelling Nh
Garfield to confront this matter, by resc
luton or open demand on the floor of tn
House. Two millions of dollars year ar
squandered ostensibly for the printing an
binding Of documents, but large part goe
into the pockets of Ring who control tn
contracts and share the spoils. Yet whe
a document which is in demand, and ha
always been printed among the very first
is required for the practical needs OF legis
lation, it cannot be found, and the reform
which knowledge Gifts details would hav
made easy are thus arrested.
The jobbers of the House, interested il
having their partisan retainers pensioneC
and in covering up contracts, are the mel
who did this business. They have onl,
succeeded in making it more notorious, ant
in inviting a searching scrutiny into tn
report. The press will insist upon pub
licity now, and no false pleas will excus
the corrurt schemers who have thus ia
stopped it. --