The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-05-08
Last Nights Dispatches.
WASH HrNGTON

WASHINGTON. May 7.-Senator Teller
in behalf of the Republican minority o
the Wallace committee, submitted rspor
on the subject of political assessments
criticising the bill recommended by tn
majority of the committee. After quotin,
its full text he says. this is in short
proposition to prohibit any empioye Of
person holding Office under government
of the United States. from contributing
money or other things of value. for polit.
ical purposes, either with reference to the
National political questions OF those oa
States. 1t is based on the theory that the
use Of money contributed by a certain
class of citizens, office holders in politi
cal campaign, is crime while money
| contributed by q non office holder. and
used for the same purpose is not crime.
Ii this bill shall pass. no man holding pub
! lie office can be connected with public
| political press; he can not contribute to
pay .ordinary and perfectly legitimate
expenses of political meeting. This
class of citizens can not contribute money
| for printing and distribution of political
documents. cannot contribute money to
form or support political club or society
for the dissemination of most wholesome
political tenets concerning the rights of
man and the establishment and support of
reading room, stocked with political
works, would be crime and must be
| treated in the same way that contribution
of money to corrupt voters and destroy the
purity of ballot. Why should this class
of citiSens be deprived of the privilege
conceded to all others2 Is there more
danger in contributions of men in Office
than from those who are striving to get in ?
This bill is indefensible on any principle;
it is abhorrent to all ideas of right, It is
in violation of the rights Of the people
granted to them By the organic laws of the
land. The purpose Of the bill of the ma
jority is not to prevent the contribution of
money to enlighten the people on political
questions, but to secure monopoly of
such instrumentality to men who are seek
ing Office, and to assail those who hold
offices. 1t should be entitled "a bill to
compel political information to be paid for
from a single barrel"
The report concludes by recon mmending
the passage of the bill, the provisions of
which are quite voluminous, prescribing
heavy penalties of fine and Imprisonment
not only for the levying of compulsory
political assessments, by Government
officers upon their employees, but also for
a number of specific offenses against the
freedom and purity of elections, including
bribery and intimidation of voters, at the
National elections, and the bearing of arms
at any public meeting, held for the discus
sion OF political questions, with reference
to the election of members of Congress, or
Presidential electors.
The committee Of conference on the
consular and diplomatic appropriation bill
has reached an agreement.
Asmember of the Cabinet said to-day iu
reference to Postmaster General Keys
successor. that both Postmaster James, of
New York. and First Assistant Postmas-
ter General Tyner would be seriously con-
sidered in connection with the prospective
vacancy. He understood Postmaster
James would accept the position If tender
ed, and that the President had his ap-
pointment under very favorable considera
ton.