The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-04-01

great corporations to account to the treas
urv for the advances of capital and the ar
rearages of interest, out of their net earn
ings, is as liberal message as could have
been devised, and is strictly within the
terms of the charter And that is precisely |
the reason why it is resisted by the power
full ring which represents, or rather owns, |
the two companies.
But it must not be supposed that
speeches however able. or facts however
conclusive, are to determine the action of
the senate While Matthews, Mitchell, and
other attorneys Of the roads are put up to
strut and fret on the floor, more efficacious
methods, which have often succeeded in
congress before, which have procured and
foreshadowed decisions of the supreme
court for speculation, and which were
most instrumental in determining the vote
of the electoral commission. are at work by
day and night with untirlng energy.
Senators, like other portions of the COM
munity, have suffered by the hard times.
Some are in desperate straits, and about
going out Of public life never to return to
| it. Some are needy, and want temporary
relief. Some are living openly beyond
their means, and are pressed by clamorous
creditors And some are VIGOROUSLY
venal, who BOUGHT their seats, and expect
to profit by such chances as this oppor-
tunity offers. The senate is not what it
once was. It's tone is greatly lowered, as
may be inferred when conspicuous senators
allow themselves. if they do mot seek, to be
retained as counsel by corporations seeking
legislation. They do other things, some OF
. the foremost. too, that would shock the
moral sense of the country, if known.
In this state of things it is easy to under
stand how skilful managers, who know
: through their retainers the character
: the infiFmities, and the pecuniary condition
of every member of that body, may turf
their knowledge to account The lobby il
this interest is the best, strongest, AM
most efficient ever organized at Washing
ton. 1t is discip ined in reserve, makes L
show, and moves with the trained skill c
IS a detective force, doing that duty In wa
which traces every marked man in all hi
walk and conversation.
: Ask the outsider who is ignorant of tn
o vast organization, 'swhere is the gre;
l. railroad lobby?" and he will answer, -
"a has been transferred to the floor" Thu
e is the general belief, but it is only pa
. TALLY true. Agencies are at work on an
is off the floor, just as they can be best uti
! lied. Undoubtedly the most powerf
ia lever is inside the chamber, because the pc
= sonal relations of Senators peculiarly fav
v confidence and intimacy, which are indi
Or pensabe to success.
id There is a class of disinterested patrio
ne who always act from conviction, and Their
81 fore never have their motives suspecte
u that are important aids in carrying al
IN measure they may approve. For exar
pie Senator BARNUM of Connecticut is co
r WINGED that the judiciary Committee bea
- hard on two corporations, and. thereto
u he has espoussd the cause CT GOULD al
'lt HUNTINGTON with large aud self sacri
h cling spirit Indeed, he is regarded
their chief manager, and is said to be mo
T. consulted Just now than any other memb
:, of the body,
d. On occasions like this Mr.. BARNI
I'd always rises above party. GOULD, HU
ct TINGToN and BARNUM make up We
enterprising firm. ~, \. Sun