The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-02-09

up In the most unonylablo respect When
We mnrino thni ouf various representative
ut Washington nfo doing conatonimHIy
lhorcomos service and nfo lobornR 10 got
THROUGH on lho poor poy' which thoy ~.
c0iyc. we do not exhibit Chat degree NJ inf.
mnry with the lirc Of thc Legislator ln
Washington which Is expected of us. The
fact g., ltisa summers day with them, ana
from the first week In December 90 the last
in June or July II isn long rcyclry, which
the masses pay for at the triiling
figure Of $1,000 q year, Some Of these
men, Of course, do good service but the
majority simply draw their per diem and
introduce bills, which never do, and, in
fact, are never expected to reach the serious
consideration Of the house. However ii
has not been generally known that con-
gressmen were in the habit Of using the
minor privileges Of their positions
in their own self behalf. Still
it appears from recent investiga-
tons in the departments, that such is
the case. In a series of articles appearing
editorialy, lately in the New York Herald
it is shown that, not only have the members,
been derelict in the performance and ofneed-
ed work, but many of them have been crimi-
nally appropriating government funds, set
apart to them by statute for other and lcsi-
innate uses. We are not, Of course, anti
cipating the inauguration of gigan-
tic measures from all the men
who are sent to Washington, but
it does look as if the representative OF
nearly l7500O people ought to be too much
ola man in anyview imaginable than to mis-
appropriate the little sums used for, or to
be more properly, used for ordinary and nee
essary expenses to the basest of purposes.
When Il congressman draws salary
it is theoretically for services tc
the state and he is not to be fur
nished with luxuries ard delicacies
at the peoples cost. Yet .he recent dis
closures before referred to show the most
unexpected and reprehensibe conduct in
this particular, and indicate rottenness in
some quarters up at Washington that many
good citizens heretofore would have sworn
did not exist AS every one knows GER
! tain number OF papers are allowed
to and are paid for by the govern
ment to each member Of congress.
This is right and proper, as it is means OF
enabling members to more thoroughly
learn the wants cf their Constituen les, scat
tered over the whole land, and act accord
ingly; but even such Il privilege, it seems,
has been brostituted, and the men, some OF
them at least, who are clothed withso much
authority and regard, turn out to be moth
ing more than petty thieves supplying their
most insignificant wants by calling to their
ass Stance the revenues Of the general gov
ernment. AS an evidence Of this fact let us
glance for a moment at the following record,
authentic in every particular and compiled
from official reports, alike IS damaging
to the clerk as TO the men who
were the direct beneliciaries Of the
disgraceful transactions. 1t is as follows
"Two perfumery cases, bought for mem
Der at $lO-S2O; three fans. bought for a
menber, at $1,000 per uozen-Sl6.63; three
.funs bought for a member,at $50 per dozen
Sl4.75 three fans, bought for member, at
$50 per dozen-$975; two necessaries,
bought for member, at.5lS per dozen-S3;
six tooth-picks, bought for a member, at
1864 per dozen-2S17; two iourteen-kara-
charm magic pencils, bought for member,
at $500 per dozen-$30.G0; six silver egg
pencils, bought for member, at S36 per
dozen-SlS; two bottles Of cologne, bought
for a member, at $l-S2; seven knives,
bought for a MISUNDERSTOOD; three card
cases, bought for member,
at $ll.33 per dozen-l0.33 two
handkerchief boxes, bought for mem
Der, at 50 per dozen-$1 80 one odor case and
vases, bought for a member-Sl2.S5; one
fine opera-glass, bought for membcr-SlO;
one hair brush 81, and case $l7, bought for a
member-SlS; one shaving-case, bought Tor
a member Sl3; one visiting list, bought for
a member-S3." We are not told who. these
members were, but fuller investigation
should by all means be made, and the press
ought in the clearest manner TO yentilate
the entire affair. In such way and by such
methods these disreputable representatives
of the public might be retired to their mer-
ited obscurity. The public finances go fast
enough, and we need more faithful guard
ians thereof in Washington. And yet, with
all our recognized corruption, no one would
harly suppose that the peoples money
went as above indicated.