Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-08-06

more unscrupulous and demogoglcal
among the Democratic, papers O
Iowa, the Conservative included ar,
yet ringing the changes on the charg.
against Gov. Kirkwood that he is &
"salary grabber," because he took
the regular, legal pay of the Office OF
U. S. Senator, fixed by statute accord
ing to a rule established long ago,
and never deviated from in single
instance by Senator or Representa-
tive of either party; which rule no
man or party has ever attempted to
modify or repeal. That rule or law
distinctly provides that 4 Senator or
Representative filling a vacancy shall
draw pay from and after the death or
resignation of his predecessor. In
the case of Mr.. Kirkwood, he drew
his salary from the resignation Of
Mr.. Harlan, which was some months
before his own election as Senator,
and thereon hangs the plea of the
Democratic press, that he is a salary
grabber.
Now, if there is any point in the
charge against Gov. Kirkwood il is,
that he drew pay for services not
rendered. Whether this was before
or after his election makes little diff
ference with the equity Of the trans
action. We believe no candid man
will question the correctness of this
position, nor say that a man in office
has any more right to take pay for
which he renders no equivalent than
another man who holds no official
position. Upenthisbasis we propose
to examine the case of Hon. L. L.
Ainsworth, Democratic Congressman
elect from this District. Mr.. Aims
worth has not served day in Con-
gress. He is attending to his regular
business as an attorney, or taking
trips of pleasure, attending Demo
cratic conventions, &c. He has not
even qualified as member of Con
gress by taking the prescribed oath,
yet on the simple certificate of the
Governor, that he had :. majority Of
the votes for Congress last fall, he
has, since the 4th day of last March,
been regularly drawing his pay as a
member of Congress, at the rate OF
$4l6.66 per month, or $4,000 per
year. If he should live until the 9th
day of next December, when Con,
gress convenes, and the time shall
have come for him to qualify himself
to sit in that body, he will have
drawn from the United States treasury
the pay of nine months, $4,000.
without rendering an equivalent
therefor, equal to the labor involved
in conducting case of assault and
battery before a justice. If he should
die before the sitting of Congress,
the District will not have shadow
of service, present or prospective, to
show for the money drawn by Mr.
Ainsworth. Now, will anybody says
that there is any real difference be.
tween Ainsworth and Kirkwood in
this matter? One drew, and the 9TH
er is drawing pay prior to the time
at which an equivalent in actual SER
vice could or can be rendered. In
each case it was done with legal war
rant therefor, and we submit that if
Gov. Kirkwood is "a "salary grabber,' .
'Ainsworth is equally a ''salary grab
ber;" and we call upon the Conser-
catice, if it would stand before the
people of this county in a consistent
attitude, to train its pop-gun and set
up it's howl against Ainsworth, the
''Salary Grabber." Come, now, make
him disgorge the money he has
''filched from the public treasury"
without an hours service in return.
Make it hot for him.