The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-08-08
THE GREAT STEAL.

MOI since the days or the BACK pay
steal has the country been 80 deeply stirred
in regard to the action of congress in con
nection with money matters, as it is at the
present time. The people of all political
creeds are painfully aware that their re-
representatives. in congress have committed
high handed robbery in passing the river
and harbor bill over the presidents veto.
They are aware that this bill is merely
made the pretext for filching from the
public treasury millions of dollars, and
that they will chastise all who took part in
the disgraceful transaction is evident.
The Chicago Times, in the following
article, but expresses the public sentiment
on this all-absorbing topic:
In all parts of the country, the consum-
nation of the great congressmen's robbery
has produced much indignation among all
sorts of decent people. The feeling is far
deeper and more widespread than there
appeared grounds for expecting it would
be. 1t is not manifested among the politi-
clans and ficemongers; but business
men, merchants, manufacturers, agricult
uralists, shop-keepers, self-independent
citizens of all classes who do not seek to
live by politics, are outspoken and uncom-
monty emphatic in their denunciation of
the representatives and senators who con-
summated the great robbery. In New
York for the purpose of giving more eff
fective expression to their feeling, it is in
contemplation to hold great Indignation
meeting, representing the best elements of
both political parties, against the repre-
sentatives and senators who voted to &C
complish the great steal. 1t is designed
to be not only an overwhelming expression
of public opinion condemnatory of the
river and harbor bill, but also movement
to prevent the return of any representative
or senator who voted for it." 1t is believed
there will be an immediate and enthusias
tic popular movement to that end, as
there was upon the preparation of the
congressional back salary grab.
There certainly is greater reason for
furnishing the unfaithful representatives
now than there was then. Compared to
this gigantic congressional district robbery
of the national treasury, the back salary
grab was venial offense. The back-sal
airy grab took from the public treasury for
the use and benefit of congressman only
million and a half of dollars. For that
amount of money granted by the senators
and representatives to tAemSelUes, the coun
try got no equivalent. Herein was the
villainy of the transaction. The money
was taken from the public treasury upon
no public consideration, but upon the pri-
vate consideration of every congressman's
wish to feather his own nest" Mr.. Ere
linghuysen, of New Jersey, put the pro
ceeding in its true light. 1--WE are taking
a million and half out of the treasury for
nothing" he said. The government owes
us nothing. We have never said that our
compensation ought to be a million and
half more than it is. We have stood here
discharging the duty" and accepting the
fixed salary as discharge of all money
claim therefor against the public treasury
eff we can take out of the treasury for
ourselves million and half, zoe haze Just
as good a right to take ten millions.
And now comes the exercise of the ''just
as good right to take ten millions" blythe
actual taking of more than twelve millions
out of the public treasury, not for any
purpose of the nation, but 'for ourselves"
for special projects and local jobs of no
national concern, which are expected
to give usufruct to ourselves,
who have appropriated public
money to local, special and private uses.
The principle of this greater larceny IS the
same precisely DIS Iuae VI Gue SlndAioI paCh-
pay steal. That was an appropriation of
public money for which the public would
get nothing, but the appropriations would
get whatever was to be got. This is only
an extention of that precedent from q
"steal'' of million and half to ''steal"
of more than twelve millions of public
dollars. If there was a cause for the PEG
pie to condemn and punish unfaithful rep
resentatives then, there is now the same
cause to condemn and punish them, mag
nified more than s'eight diameters."
at is high time for the taxpayer, who
have to foot the bills, and the good citizen
who does not wish this government to be-
come mere machinery of plumber and
sink of corruption" says one organ of