Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-09-04
OUEERswARE
LEGISLATIVE AGENTS NOT IHTAL1I

LEGISLATIVE AGENTS NOT IEFALLI-
BILE.
The Nashville American is credited
with good point, in asking why there
is no demand for submission of the
municipal and county debt to the peo-
pie. But when examined it will turn
out not particularly bright. Where
the debt is disputed, and a compro-
mise is proposed, the course is to sub
NIT it to the people. In the counties
of Upton and Lauderdale, where the
county debt is disputed, in 1879 an
act of the legislature was passed, au.
lthorizing the submission, on any
3terms OF compromise that might be
= agreed upon between the bondholders
and the county courts of said counties,
to the people for approval or rejection.
(See acts of 1879, p. 25l.)
1t is so plain a proposition, that
prudence in the principal, where it
can be done, requires the agent to
submit to the principal, for final ap-
prGval or rejection, any very import
ant mctter, that it is hardly open for
debate. 1t is the dictate of common
sense. Agents may go astray. Ayel
agents, and legislative agents, have
gone astray. Look at the back
salary grab"l Look at the Credit
Mobilier job! where railroad corpo.
ration stuffed the pockets of the peo-
pies legislative agents, to incline
them A give that corporation what
ever it might ask of these
agents. Look at the DeGolyer
paving swindle. Coming nearer home,
look at the funding job in which
even war interest was packed, and in
terest on that, by the peoples legisla-
tive agents. All agree that this job
was a great wrong upon the principals.
Again, look how the peoples servants
received the rotten and condemned
bonds from the railroad companies
Il is not necessary to say that those
agents were corrupt. They were, say
duped-overreached. The sharp pol
icy of the bondholder and the rail
roader got away with them. Agents
are fooled, cajoled, fattered and red,
and, sometimes, bribed into wrong
actions. Agents are not infallible,
The stealthy head and subtle inAu-
exec of the long-headed money power
found its way into the halls of con
gress, and 10 silver dollars fell from
their place as money! This crime
against the workshops, the corn fields
the cotton patches, of America, was
conceived with such profound secresy
that it was long after it wes done before
it was known that it was an accom-
plished fact. Eternal vigilance is
che price of liberty" Ambition
greed OF place, lust for money
the vast corporations are constantly
scheming, plotting, planning, in
order that they may ride on the backs
ofthe people. Legislators are agents
aud, are only mortal. They can, and
10 err, and when, through weakness
Or corruption, they turn away from
the right path, the railroadsand bond
holders cry out with loud voice
That no matter, the people are
bound, as it was their own agents thar
we're SO corrupt or weak IS to let thu
bondholders and railroads get the I'D
vantage of them" The people vii
see to it that no fresh occasion arise
upon which to base this tenchnica
and unjust argument. A proud leg
islator-jealous of his own good name
with the widespread distrust tina
prevails among the people, should de
cline to settle on any terms, not to b,
submitted to his constituents. Wha
the railroads and bondholders 81
much desirein this matter, the peopl
naturally think is not good for them
This sagacity of the people shows thei
capacity for self.government. Whel
railroads and bondholders manipulat
Conventions-go to work to pack tn
peoples convention with their friends
it is time for the people to redoubl
watchfulness. The action Of the lat
convention was vote of want Of con
fdence in the people. Itpresents tn
singular spectacle Of the agents pre-
claiming that their principals cannC
be trusted on the debt question. Be
respect on the part of the people dc
mauds that they resent at the ballC
box this insult to their intelligenC
and to their integrity.
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