The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-01-29
LEG1sLAETKK PoPPYCOOK


dictionaries do not define what is the
exact meaning of the word, but its
Specification is understood. II is
the very opposite of sincerity and
truth. 1t is bosh. 1t is humbug.
1t is an attempt to throw dust in the
peoples syes-to make believe you
are one thing when you are another.
There are poppycock orators, preach
ers, editors-and legislators. They
are all on the gush. They abound
in the Legislature just now, and are
in high feather. There are more now
than ever beforehand they are a
set of humbugs from the crown of
their heads to the sole Of their feet.
There is no sincerity at all in their
motions to cut everybody else's sal
airy down, for they never touch their
own.
The pay of member Of the Leg
islature is four dollars day Qnclud-
ing Sundays when they do no work,
but loaf around TOWN. for the term OF
seventy-five days. That is at the
rate of 81 ,465 per annum. In addi-
ton they receive 10 cents per mile
for mileage, both coming and going.
Everybody knows that the rail-
road fare in Tennessee is from four
to five cents per mile. The mem
Der from Sullivan in the eastern part
OF the State travels 788 miles for
which he gets s126.O8. This should
be added to his pay and makes the
handsome sum of 81, 591,08, and all
the other members of the Legisla-
ture draw in proportion. 1t cost the
member from Sullivan Gf he paid
anything at alp not more than half
of his mileage to come and go home.
But the truth is, we understand, that
the members do not expend cent
for mileage, but go dead headed"
upon every railroad line in the State.
A few may expend a small amount
on reaching railroad lines.
The mileage of the Legislature
amounts to So, 653 oveE 36,532 miles.
1t does not cost half this TO pay the
mileage Of members-if paid at all.
The allowance OF ten cents per mile
might have been well enough in old
stage days, but not now. 1t was
never the intention to allow more
than the actual cost Of travel.
Now the 'poppycock" comes in
just here, that the patriotic members
of the Legislature are very ecOnon-
ically disposed when it comes to re-
trenching everybody else's pay but
their own. They have a great spite
at the Judges and Chancellors and
wish to reduce them from $2500 to
$500, and like reductions in the
pay of really everybody else-ex-
cept themselves. There is not
Judge in the State who does not do
ten times more brain work than they
do in their little short sessions of
few hours, and yet they hold on to
their own pay at the rate of over
$500 per annum. Two dollars per
day would be big pay for what they
are really worth to the country. A
great many people don't believe
that they are worth anything at all.
The great majority Of them are like
so many bulls in china shop, and
do far more damage than good. or
course we except from these stric~
lures a number of excellent and com.
petent members in the Legislature
who honor their positions, but they
are powerless TO have any control
over the heterogeneous elements
that prevail.
Board can be had at Nashville for
from SIC to 500 per Bonth-and at
good houses. We propose that the
present Legislature chow their faith
by their works and cut down their
pay to the same standard they fix for
others. No one will believe in their
consistency if they do not. They
muBt quit blowing hot and cold at
the same time.
Now we predict that this precious
Legislature will reduce every salary
in the State that they can. and won't
touch their OWE a red cent. And
every one in the State Except them
selves) will say that we used the
correct word when we wrote it down
the "Poppycock Legislature"-of
1895 that don't scare worth cent
when it comes to goring every other
man's bull it can, but when their own
is gored think it entirely a different
matter, and give big squeal.
=23=-.==-
Press dispatches from New York say
that Judge Hilton was approached some
weeks ago by the representative of
firm of lawyers in that city
in reference to the restoration of A. T.
Stewards body. This the lawyer said