Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1884-04-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Corresp Ondent.l

day upon the bil!!o increase the sala-
res OF the Federal judges IN the dis
trict courts % 5000, evoked some
very entertaining statements from SEN
ators who opposed the bill, touching
the nepo,ism that had characterized
the management of these courts, both
North and South, during the last twen-
tv years. Mr.. Coke, of Texas, declar-.
ed that for score of years there had
not been Judge of the Uulted States
court ill his State, whose nepotism in
securing the appointment of relative;
to places in and about the courts, had
not become a matter of
PUBLIC SCANDAL.
And what afr. Coke says OF Texas is
equalled ifnet surpassed in many 9TH
er States, conspicuous among which
that immaculate old Commonwealth
OF Massachusetts,, where the memory
OF man runneth not back to the time
when Peleg Sprague was not Judge OF
the United States district court, and
his brother clerk of the same court for
l don't know how many years. There
was Blodgett, of Chicago, who came
within an ace of being impeached
few years ago, who had more relatives
than Enoch, but who contrived to find
places for about all of them at the
Government feed-trough. Going back
further, we discover that old Judge
Nelson, afterwards on the Supreme
Bench of the United States, had his
son for clerk in his court in the north
ern District of New York, and thar son,
by The way is the judge Of the United
States district court for Minnesota,
and one ofthe best judges on the Fed
eral bench. And there was Judge
Hanna, of Indiana, who managed to
take care of his son and brother, and
| don't know how many other relatives,
but do know that the instances were
rare when the name Of Hanna was not
attached to about every document
emanating from the court, whether as
Judge, clerk, commissioner, or other
wise. And so it has gone on all
through the gamut Of States and Ter
ritories from time immemorial until
now Congress has set its foot down up
on it with an emphasis that will effect
ually check 1.-THE present bill making
the appointment of any relative nearer
than first cousin, a high crime and mis-
demeanor, for which the Judge is SUBJ
ject to Impeachment.
The BLAIR EDUCATIONAL BILL,
which IS sort Of stepping stone to the
paternalistic form Of government that
we are drifting to, will pass the Senate
in its original shape, all important
amendments having been voted down.
The aggregate amount provided for
distribution to the States under the bill
IS $Io5, 900, the apportonment
being made br0rata as the last census
shows the illiteracyin the several states.
Thus while Iowa will get but small
dose Of the governmental prescription
she and Kansas showing only little
more than two per cent of population
who can neither read or write-Geor-
gia and North Carolina will get an an
ndote for their siXty-eight per cent of
illiteracy which, with the gigantic per
centage in other of the southern and
southwestern states will swallow up at
least sixty per cent of the whole amount.
Yet the table upon which this legisla-
tion is predicated is Ear from being cor
rect because the per centage OF Hitter
acy is calculated upon those above
and below school age, taking no &C
count Of those who have emerged from
school age since the census was taken.
After all the fuss in the Senate over
the bill, however, 1t is by no means
likely that the House will concur IN it
without putting load of amendments
to it that the Senate will not approve
In the prodlglous growth of
SNoBBERY
here at the capital, We are prepared TO
believe most anything that IS simply |
ridiculous from a society standpoint,
but there are some solid facts about
some of our public men who are trying
10 ape some of the phases of royalty,
and all Of the follIes OF a foreign aris-
tocracy, that the people of this demo
cratic government should know about.
The Attorney General of the United
States, who likewise parts his name in
the middle, has recently affixed his
coat of arms upon his official portfolio
at the department over which he pre-
sides, SO that all who have,,any business
with h m are instantly reminded of the
importance that attaches to this great
man and his office. 1t was bad enough
n aIconscience to see the old fellow
riding around in his carriage with his
coat.of arms upon the door panel, but
this carrying his disgusting insignia of
would-be royalty into his Official inter-
course with the people of. a Re&blic
like ours, is just such a proceeding as
would warrant the President in de-