The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-05

From he chicago Post and Mail. Republican
paper. !
The Cost of a "Watch-Dog."
In these tines people are easily led by |
appeals in behalf OF retrenchment and re-
form. To call man the Watchdog of the |
treasury, for instance, is very seductive |
The imagination figures noble bull dog, |
with an erect stump tail, incisors white, |
sharp, and long, tusks like spears, eyes
aglow, the spinal hair erect and bristly, |
the mouth thrown open,a heavy iron collar |
with serrated edge on the neck, large |
chain attached, and also fastened to |
substantial post in front of kennel con-
structed more for wear than luxury or
beauty, safe in the foreground, and
motto over all. bearing the heroic legend
Gaze canem. Thus il is attempted to
portray Hon Eihu B. Washburne as an
austere person, full of fight, ever leaping
to the end of his tether to grasp 1T the
throat of some spendthrist statesman, and
watching each dollar with the u. S. brand
upon it, in its passage from the treasury,
with the jealous ScrutiGy that chained
mastiff would bestow on juicy bone. taken
from a point just beyond the limit of his
chain, by some hungry insoleEt cur.
Such conception is truly lovely, and
the only mar possible to the picture, is
suggested by the story OF the poor man
who saved small sum each week, and
laid it away in his humble cottage. Fear
ing its loss, he spent halt of his accumula
tons to buy Watchdog Then he found
that it took all of his weekly margin to
feed his watch dog. Afterwards he dis
covered that he could neither sell, give
away. nor eat his Watchdog. So he had
to kill him, and risk his little earnings 10
hole in the cellar, as he had done before
he went into the watch dog business. This
little story is not without its application.
The people of Illinois may be interested
to know what Treasury-W atch-Dog Wash
burne has cost the treasury during the
time he has watched it. The figures Ee-
low, although correct as far as they go, do
not probably cover one-third the coet of
Watchdog Washburne. He has
emptied Galena to fill public Offices, and
found places at one time or another
for unnumbered members Of his own
family, Tits we shall consider in
another article, under the title.
w hat Galena has cost the National
Treasury" just now we shall confne
the figures to modest estimate of the
straight cash which Hon. Elihu b. Wash
burne has taken from the treasury, and
put in his own pocket, as an offset to his
watch dogian services. Our Nv atch Dog"
was born in 1916, and entered congress in
1858, when he was 81 years old, and when
money would go a good ways. At that
time he received IS per day aud mileage,
stationery, ranking perquisites, ETC., for
making faces, showing his teeth, and
growing at treasury thieves. This COL
tinucd from 1853 to 1856 inclusive, and for
the two years his salary aud extras would
equal
From 1856 TO 1860 his salary at s3.ooC, aud
extras at 81 900 per annum, 10 years 10000
From 1876 to 1868, at 5000 per annum, 81
600 year mileage, etc. , years .......... 1900
From 1863 to 1876 inc nsive- years. Minis
| ter to F. ance at $17,500 per year, and say
| S2-5o per year Tor extras ......... 10000
This foCts up an average Of $4,000 per
annum from the time the Great American
Watch Dog went on duty in 1858, until the
close of the centennial year. Truly he
looks to be an expensive animal. But per-
haps this is an error From 1858 to 1869,
he, as a member of congress. was constant
ly on the hunt for profigates, and steadily
watching the expenditures 1t cast the
treasury an average OF SiU,UUU per an
mum to keen our Watchdog in good
condition. What were the results? As
an illustration, it may be observed that
when he went to congress, the pay Of
members was SIS per day, or an averagy of
$1,000 per year, and mileage; then $4,000
ler year and mileage; finally $1,000 per
year ana mileage. He went into congress
at time when a minister to France got
$4,000 year; when he left the pay was
ST., 500! The total taxation for all pur-
pOes in 1858 was about 500 600, 900; in
1868, the year before the Watch Dog went
to Europe, it had reached the sum of
$500, $40, 9i7 40. This looks queer. but it
may be that closer examination will alter
the phase of affairs. The showing is a
surprise to the Post and IM,i1, as this is
one of series of studies entered upon
with the view ct preparing an article in
favor of waving the objections to Mr.
Washburne. on the ground of absenteeism,
in view of his valuable labors in behalf
of the United States treasury. We do moi
vet give up hope, ard shall recur to the
subject again.