The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-10
The Centennial AUGMENTATION

1t is reported that the select committee
of the house of representatives on the cen
tennial exhibition have agreed TO report a
bill appropriating one and "a half million
dollars for the centennial board of finance |
to enable them to complete the buildings |
with the proviso that the government |
should be paid back after the centennial
exhibition the same pro rata amount of
profits as stockholders
This blow at the honor, the character, |
the principles of the Democratic party, will |
surely not be struck by the votes of the |
Democrats in Democratic house of repre-
sentatives.
The committee may vote to give away
Peoples money, million and half at a |
grab. The Democratic house will assured |
" say:-In the constitution the powers of
congress are defined, and nowhere is power
given to congress to become a subscriber
to private jOint-stock enterprise.
The committee may confess, as they do
by the terms of their report, that the
United States cannot lawfully become a
partner in a private joint stock company.
A Democratic house will assuredly say
What we cannot lawfully do in straight
forward, open manner, we will not dis
honestly do in your crooked and decetful
manner, covering it with pretense of
being paid back pro rata as stockholders
from profits
The committee may propose, as they do,
that the house shall falsify its own fresh
and recent pledge against jobs and subsi-
dies Of every sort But a Democratic
house will surely say:-We have deter
mined not to initiate the corruptionists Of
the Republican party. We oppose the
beginnings of evil Jobbing and subsliiz
a.
private enterprises we will nos sanction,
no. not even when disguised with all the
colors of enthusiastic centennial patriotism,
The commistee may forget as they do,
that the law Of the land would be fiagraDtly
violated 10 the heat of their enthusiasm, A
Democratic house will surely say:-NOt
thus will we smirch, dishonor and defile q
true patriotism by beginning the second
century of this republic an the new era of
Democratic glory and renown, by Subsidy
after the fashion of all the rascally Re
publican Jobs, by voting of the people s
money taken by taxation from the people,
pocket and putting it into the Golfers of a
jOint-stock company, there to profit few
score instead Of forty million people, there
70 ssist one speculative enterprise of one
small company Of people, partner investors
and there to run all the risks OF priv -,
speculation, 'a''
The committee may disgrace y 40 Demo
H HS".,c mouse from which they were seIecte,
nv proposing to relax the ,estrmnts which
even Republican h,ouse set M, and L
cancel the contract. which even the part
of Jobs and suicides imposed when passing
the law OF p.t Re- than doubtful constitution
atty end policy that created the Joint stoc
company called the centennial board 0
finance. But Democratic house wi
surely say:-Philadelphia ceutennia
spectators! the congress which create
your commission 10 1871 said, aud 20
assented and became commission b
asserting:
act Of congress, March B. 1871, section ~
The United States shall not Ibe liable for az
expenses attending such exhibition by any reasC
OF the same. "
A Democratic house will surely say
Philadelphia centennial financiers, thong
you have spent ten or twenty thousar
dollars to seduce our votes for your prlva
joint-stock enterprise, nevertheless v
cannot be bribed TO inappropriate tt
peoples money or put lit at risk IN vol
excellent and probably patriotic specul
ton. Even Republican house, even Il
credit mobierists, who are yet stencil
the peoples nostrils, imposed this co
dition in creating you:
act of Congress creating centennial board Of
nance, June I, 1872 section 80
but nothing in this act shall be so construed
to create any liability OF The United States dir
or indirect for any debt or obligation incurred 1
for any claim by the centennial International ex
bition or the Incorporation hereby created, for
or pecuniary assistance from congress or the ire
ury of the United States IN support or liquidati
OF any debts or obligations created by the corpo
ton herein authorized"
The committee may propose to pay thu
share of $4,000 worth of canvass-ba
ducks and champagne, by grabbing N
lion and half of the peoples taxes a
finging them into the till of the centenn
financiers But the Democratic house "
assurediy say:-We were sent here Piled
ed to other courses. We shall again q
the people this fall to send Democrats
congress pledged to other courses.
cannot select you out OF MANY joint-stc
companies to enjoy partnership with ,
United States. You do not need I
money you beg tor. Not another city
the land would so dishonor itself as to /
pay for this great profit, pecuniary a
patriotic. But you can get all the moi
you need under the powers congress
49, already given you:
(!Ssction 8, act June i, 1871