The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-03-21

en- idea that they could afford to go
where Ednlunds could go-voted for the
ranking grab on Thursday. When we
view the names of the prominent republi-
cans who aided In the passage of this
swindle we blush for them. The only men
who had sufficient regard for public epin-
ion and their own sense of honor to OPP
pose the Edmunds proposition were the
following. is-s -
CocKRELL, GARLAND, MAxEY,
COKE, GEORGE, PEEDEEToN,
CoNGER, HUH Coli. RANSOM, sae1
FARLEY, MCMILLAN, SALISBURY
FERRY MCPHERSON, SHERMAN,
Let this matter be thoroughly under
stood Public documents can be franked
by members of Congress as the law stands.
1t is only their private property that is
now prohibited from free passage through
the mails, and to secure this the majority
of the Senate are willing TO open the flood
gates of abuse, and put the country to mil
lions of dollars of expense yearly. They
are willing to do this in order that they
may send through the mails that which has
no more business to 60 free than the pri-
vate property of anybody else-ef the Ia
borer for instance, who works. for his
money by the day, and pays his postage
like an honest man. Yet if the tax was
simply to carry the mails of Congressman
the people might submit. They do not see
WIN they should do it, yet in view of the
fact that many letters are written on quasi
pubic business, they might yield. But
once raise the gates, and the flood of petty
swindling sweeps through like a. torrent.
It is idle to talk of restraining it. The pas
sage Of the Edmunds bill means millions of
dollars tax on the people of this country
millions of dollars to benefit 400 men, who
put themselves in the attitude of pau
pers, begging the people to bear their per-
sonal expenses.
WHY. when few dollars worth of let
TEXTILES were paid for by the Treasury De-
partment, and lit was suspected that they
were used for private purposes, an investi-
CATION was ordered. Pray, what is the
difference between paying for letter-files
for private purposes and paying for letter
carrying for similar purposes?
Mr.. Edmunds would hardly ask the peo-
pie to furnish him with hats and shirts
at least he has not yet done so-but what
b better is it when he asks that they shall
carry his private mail free of charge?
s.Ahl but the public business presses SO. +"
We have proper regard we hope for the
public business, but we denounce this pre-
tense as dismal sham
IfSmith writes to Congressman Jones to
secure him an Office, a reply to Smith is
not public business.
If O'Brien writes to him asking that he
look after claim of his before one of the
departments, a reply on this subject is of
no earthly consequence to the millions of
taxpayers uninterested, and is not public
business"
If Van Dusen writes to his member that
Cornplaster Muggins is looming up as an
opposing candidate for congress in the
members district, reply from said mem
Der to sail, in prove that Muggins' grand
mother was a half-breed Indian and once
kept dance house in the Bowery, is not
public business
If a committee from Porter's Cross
Roads writes to member about the post
office there and desires the name changed,
that is public business so far as the Cross
Roads are concerned, but it does not par
ticularly interest the rest of the world, and
in such cases we fancy the committee or
the member might, in the interests of the
locality benefited, bear the expense of
postage themselves.
What, then, as public business?" We
shall hear much about the poor soldiers
who are writing for pensions, and the ne
cessity of Vreplying to them. Well, the
applications of soldiers are growing fewer
pretty fast and even if they were not, we
know of few who are not willing to pay
postage when they ask a response to a
question. But we would be willing to
grant an appropriation for stamps to cover
this correspondence, and even more, for
the sake of preventing the colossal swim
die that will come in with re-enactment
of the Thanking privilege. We already
furnish the members with paper and pens
and envelopes and pencils and ink in guam
titles sufficient for each to start station
cry store; we pay them twenty times as
much for their travelling expenses as it
costs them to travel. Now, how much
more do they want for postage, and have
done with it? Unfair and impudent as it is,
It would be better to make such an appro-
priation than to throw millions away on
an unrestricted use of autographs dead
headism.
Let the house do its duty IN this matter,
and threw Mr. Edmunds' bill into the waste
Ocean.