The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-03-23
WORSE THAN
Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Bad as the last Republican Legis-
la.ure confessedly was, the present
body is worse. 1t is the remark of
everybody, who has been familiar
with the Legislatures of the last ten
years, there never was before a law.
making body so weak ard worthless,
SO dilatory, Sc consummately stupid,
SO impotent for good, so prone TO evil,
SO given owe to venality and frivol-
ity, and so infested and permeated
with innumerable Hobbies, as that
now in the third month of its wretch
ed and Improbable existence. The
Republican majority is overwhelm-
ing, but it lacks energy, lacks lead
ers and lacks brains. Many mem
beers spend more time in the High
street saloons than they do in the
House and are i~ncapacitated for work
when they are present. Nearly three
months have gone by and the only
sign and token of the legislature ex-
istence is in the hole it has made in
the treasury. What law has it pass
ed? What measure has it even in
diligently discussed? Mo- one. A
week ago the members took their tri-
weekly adjournment. Some went
home and some went swelling off to
Washington in o palace car furnish
ed gratis by a railroad ring, swilling
whisky and wine furnished by the
school book ring, calling on Guiteau
and having a regular gilded time
Most Of those who went didn't get
their swelled heads reduced to their
natural dimensions until late in the
week, and the whole week was vast
ed. There wasn't as much real work
done last week as a decent Legisla
ture could and would have pu,
through in two hours. And on Sat.
urday the members who had only got
back from a four days adjournment
packed their ~gripsacks, and skipped
again SO that a callof the House re
vealed just one more than a bare quo
rum present. Not an appropriation
bill has even been reported yet
Not a single bill of Importance ha:
been acted upon. The re-dis.rictine
fight has only begun, and the first o
April is not far away.
The most indecent, abhorrenI anc
uttery disgusting thing about thu
present Legislature is the presenc,
of the lobbists. The oldest inhabit
ant, even old Charley Flood, who ha
sat in the legislative halls from gen
Grafton to generation, cannot remem
Der the time when there were so man,
lobbyists so persistent, so impuden
and representing more and wors
T dirty jobs. There are times whel
: there are more lobbyists present thai
! there are members and still enougl
left to steer the absent lawmaker
! around among the saloons. The hall
stendlcorridors -are-full ofthem, til
) aisles are crowded with them, ther
are two Or three at each member
elbow and more or less of them ar
| perched on the state house steps,
/ They repr sent all sorts of rings an
jobs, and the. Republican Legisla
ture, composed of sundry God an,
morality patriots, is hopeless.y an
2 irretrievably fallen into their hand;
The firstiof May is coming on, whe
the money TO pay the statesmen wi
| run out, and then they will rus
) things through so as to adjourn
Then will come the harvest of th
lobby. Then the fellows who hay
been keeping the statesmen in drink
t and cigars all winter and giving thel
free rides will get their money bacl
Let the people look out for corruI
jobs during the closing days of til
g session.