The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-12-04

pie at a distance. How could the aver age
citizen comply with the luscious Tha.lks-
giving proclamation of President Arth lr in
its true inwaflness on the cold charities
and perfunctery turkey of a ashington
hotel2 It ii perhaps q minor considers
ton that our beloved but chastened con-
gress on it's reassenabling viii find the
Capitol MS 'scluttered up" as a dollar
store.
The officeholders have not yet recovered
from their consideration caused by Prcsi
dent ATthurs recent bomb-shell, supposed
to be aimed at the Star route camp. 1t
was undoubtedly sudden and unexpected
stroke, the meaning of which lies much
deeper than the indication of sim
pie purpose to purify the atmosphere
surrounding the prosecution of
these cases" The prime cause, so far as
Mr.. Attorney Bliss is concerned, was the
desire to punish officials who have not
paid that profound respect to himself
which he thinks is due to the intimate
friends of the president. 1t was upon the
report of this smart prosecutor, who draws
500 per day. and whose bills for the last
year to the amount of $34, 900 have been
approved by the Attorney General. that
the action of the president was taken
Yet Bliss is a very insignificant person,
nothing of the lawyer, and not so much
above suspicion himself as to be a proper
person for employment in such capacity
It was due to his manipulations in the jury
room that the late grand jury refused to
indiet Kellogg. late United States senator
But on.the part of the president the late bold
stand-a complete change of front-was
the result OF the recent elections. Mr.. Ar
thur heard something drop Nov. eth, and
he is making desperate efforts to recover
himself. There are circumstances almost
without number to sustain the view
that up to the present time Mr.. Ar
thur has had no desire to secure
convictions in these Star route cases. And
now in the face of this sudden spasm of
virtue the fact remains that the net in
which the conspiratCrs were to be caught
was so woven or SO cast as to hold the
little fishes and let the big fishes slip
through, and it is too late for the public
prosecutors to disavow any responsibility
for the failure of justice in the case The
dismissal of these five officials was a good
thing in itself. Whether it is good thing
or not for the interest of justice in the
Star route cases will appear hereafter.
When Brady and Dorsey are actually in
prison, and not until then, will the people
be prepared to score a point for the admin
The orders issued in some government
departments recently, requiring clerks to
do six and half half hours work every
working day, and to desist from receiving
visitors during Office hours are the direct
result of the late elections. Pension Com
missioner Dudley is given to posing as
reformer. Some of his s*orders" are fla
nous for their bombastic style. and excite
a good deal of merriment about town
The commissioner of the land of
any such charge. but probably
it occurred to linn that this is a very good
time to turn over a couple of new leaves
1t is nave by no means superfluous.
The way in which time IS sQuandered in
the Government offices is wonderful
The half hours intermission for lunch is
generally spent on the street and the lunch
time taken out of the Governments time.
II is against this abuse that the Land office
circular Is directed, as wei as the practice
If virtually stopping work half an nour
before the Office is closed. The result of
the late elections has been to cause a sud
len spasm of virtue among the officials
and an immediate cutting off of cakes and |
ales, but it won't last. Now that the devil
s sick he wants to be ii saint, but his i'll |
ness will not continue longer than a month |
Or two. A darkey official is one of the |
most amusing sights in the world-the airs |
ne gives himself, his immense importance. |
he grandiloquent manner in which he |
spreads himself in his Office chair and sur |
7eys his office desk are delicious to the /
over of joke PRoNo,