The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-02-26

WASHINGTON. Fec. "a. 1879
Bnt thirteen more days Of Congress
remain, and legislation will now be
rushed through at wasteful speed
uDtil IL II 90 The fourth If March,
when The patent ltsie gayels Of
Wheeler and Randall will fall aud
the 45th Congress viii De adj surned
sine de. But all it die? The evil
aud good that Congresses do, live af-
ter them. No Congress liveth TO it.
self or diesh 10 itself; il makes pre-
cedents as well as laws. There is
mach complaint and dennrciaiion Of
Congress. Individually and collec-
lively il is Imperfect enough, heaven
knowsI But it IL just as good, aud
DO more ridiculous thsn the great
constituencies thai send it here. To
take Congress through aud through,
on an average, the rese1 .blance of
TIE individual member to his district
is sIartlingIy significant. Ii might
be cell for the reckless burlers Of
invective TO remember that when
they denounce Congress they iadlct
the United States, and careful mi
croscOpic scrutiny might reveal germs
Of legislative error and public eoacu-
p~iscence ia 80 pure 8 fountain as the
ingeighing constituents owa beart.
The stream viii not rise shove its
fountain Until the good people ofthe
United States cease sending dema-
gogues, adventures, fanatics, and
fouls 10 Congress, we NAV expect ex
uravagant, dishonest, and idlotic Leg
i-la,ion. But let us not blame Con-
gress too much for this. 1t is So
much easier to preach reform TO Con-
greSs THAI to reform oneself When
we send men to Congress who can
Dot be hribed, there viii be an end Of
m~onopolies OF Railroads ami TeIe-
graphs. There are bat lew members
or Senator's who have not comprU-
missed themselves BY accepting free
tickets from Railroads, and Franks
from the Western Uaion monopoly
A prominen, official Of the Western
Union has lately divulQ-d the fact
that oae third Of their iasiness was
dead head bnt, be ADDED the signiG-
cant words that it was the most
profitable investment the company
could make. | knew t. southern
Senstor, not lo0g since, who o only
had a free round trip ticket to San
Francisco and back, but be bad tickets
for any young Iadies that might &C.
company him! IL seems thar a mem
Der Of Congress mast be either enUr-
mSusly wealthy or enormously viFtu
US 10 resist these insi6a as bribesf
A Senator who has been so unique
as 10 pay cut of bis legitimate salary
for bis dispatches aud railroad tickets,
has been recently quoted by the
press, aad The argument has been
turned to no better account than
proving the meagerness ot Legislative
salaries. But there Is no reason
wby the average member Of Congress
mag. not live more l%uxuriously than
be ever lived at home and save bali
bis salary. / write this after a resi-
dence Of tive years 10 Washington
and know what | am talking about.
Senator McCreery ~retireS at the eud
of q single senatorial term with TIE
comfortable little sum Of $40, 900
saved from his salary. and be has not
lived like an anchorite. Tue foliow-l
ing extract from the aauaal report of
the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany carries its own comment and
moral:
"The franks issued to Government
oficials constitute nearly q third Of
tue total complimentary business.
The wires of the Western Union
company extend into thir,y-seven
States and nine Territories within
the limits IF the United States, and
into Tour of the British Provinces. la
ell Of them our prosperity is more or
less subject to the action Of the ma
t%ional, State, and municipal Guthori
lies, aud the judicious use of eompli-
mentsry franks among them has been
the means Of saving t the company
many times the money-value of the
free service performed"
Never vas a story Of bribery more
nnbIushinely told. In view of the
facts as stated alb I'VE, it will be inter-
estiHg TO know what xcus or reason
will be given in case the Butler
amendment curtsiling the privileges
Of this huge monopoly fails to pass
the Senate. Independent Of its cor
rupting and ~propensities
the strong ground for destroying
this monopoly is in the benefit tba,
will follow iD the convenience Of bust
ness that has been taxed long enough
to maintain one of it's greatest obsta-
cles. Here is a corporation with a
bona Jde capital ofSl, coo. 600 swelled
TO the enormous proportions Of S4O,-
O00, 600. without costing the original
Investors q dollar over hat they
frs. paid ard it is not difficult to see
TO what purpose irs exorbltant prices
have been applied.
c.. a. S.