Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-24
proposed Investigation OF the

ny
Proposed Investigation OF the
Governor.
Springfield Register.
The resolution adopted BY the State
drange-the only state organization of the
, farmers of lllinois-calling on the legis,
sture To investigate the charges made in
n regard to Gov. Oglesbys expenditure of
Amoney, calls formore than passing notice
Is The first time in the history of the
II Nate when the executive officer has been
MI aps arraigned, and coming as this does
w NJ non partisan body. vet one in
. web majority of the members are
ny Aical friends OF the governor, il should
oe discussed with fairness to his excel
lency, AS well as to the body demanding
the investigation.
1t will be best at the outset to call at
tention to few of the provisions of the
constitution of lS4S. When that consti-
tuition was adopted the state was COM
paratlvelv new, and we were living under
an entirely different order of things from
what now surrounds US The pay of the
governor was fixed at 81 800 per wear.
As the Office became more important, and
the stste grew, there was feeling that
the salary Yves too small In order to
get around the constitutional provision
liking the annual pay of the office at
Sl,5OO, the plan was adopted of making
an appropriation Tor gardener for the
governor, and the snnusl sum appro-
prlated was larger than the salary of the
governor. 1t was understood that the
amount wss not to be paid to the gardens
er, but was to 90 into the purse of the
governor. 1t is not necessary now 10
discuss the legality Of this, but il was un-
derstood by the public and endorsed bv
the Taxpayers. Akin to this was the
legislative ruse TO pay adequate compen-
sstlon 10 supreme and circuit Judges.
The former were allowed salary of oDlv
sl,290 per anDum, but the legislature
made an appropriation for clerk hire
which went into the pockets of the
judges. The circuit Judges were allowed
only Sl,UUU per year. but the legislature
passed law providing for docket fee.
for the benefit of the circuit Judges, OF
81 on each case placed on the docket.
When the present constitution was
adopted, it was desired to get rid % this
questionable system Of paving officers
Hence, in article 5, after providing what
state officers shall he elected. etc, the
following Was inserted as part of sec.
ton %;
The officers named in this article shall
receive for their services a salary to be
established by law. which sbsll not be in
creased or diminished during their
official terms, and they shall not after
the expiration Of the terms of those in
office at the adoption of this consutu-
ton, receive TO their own use any fees,
costs, perquisties Of office, or any other
compensation,
The first officer named in this article
and controlled By the section we have
quoted is the governor.
Fearful that the constitutional pro,
vision was not strong enough. the frs
legislature which met under the present
constitution framed the following law
Be II enacted etc, That there shall bt
allowed and paid sn unnual salary. il
lieu OF all other salary, fees, perquisities
benefit, or compensation. in any form
whatsoever, to each Of the officers here,
in named the following sums respective
ly:
To the governor the sum of Sc 000
together with the use and occupation Of
I the executive mansion
II was intended that the COVE no
should receive the sum OF So 900 pc
year, and the use and occupation Of tn
executive mansion, and no more for hin
self and family. In other words-S6
900 year and house rent
1t has been the practice Tor years fc
the Legislature 10 appropriate variOu
; amounts to keep the executive mansio
D. IN repair; and us the building belongs I
the state tBere can be no fault foun
with this. It is equally true that n
legislature could tell just how muc
would be needed for this purpose; bl
no builder in Illinois would ever est
mate that the amount would b
oneNtenth the sum appropriated
But no one complains of the none
spent to keep the building IN repai
What the State Grange complains Of
and what it has right to complain of
Is the expenditure OF money for article
that cannot, by any stretch Of the imagi
nation, be said to be necessary to the T,
pairing of any part of the mansion. TT
list embraces dry goods, visiting card
toilet articles, soaps, brushes, bouquet
hire OF saddle horses, men and maid Sc
wants, etc, the expenditures amountin
in the aggregate to large sums of money
All of which is set forth, though not
as full detail as might he, in the auditor
report submitted to the legislature
1887.
1t has never been explained, athous
the subject has become state scanda
how these benefits or perquisities or ext
compensation for the governor could
construedto be allowable from the publ
treasury in the face of the constitution
and statutory provisions above quoted
In an interview with the local CORE
pondent Of the Chicago Tribune, Go,
Oglesby says the resolution of the Sta
Grange is ''the flag end of campall
lie" Unfortunately for Gov. Ogesby,
there has been any lying it has not be,
done by the State Grange as can be real
lily seen by consulting the report of Il
state auditor for 1886, pages 8, 9, 10 al
II.
1t is the first time in the history of Il
state that such an example as that pr
sented by the State Grange has been mat
OF governor, We realize the fact til
II be has anv Of the sensbilities of t
honest official, he must keenly feel t
arrangement of the farmers, many
whom have been his warmest snpporte
in the past. No man 10 the state has 1
cetved so many honors from the peoI
no man has so misused his official DO
ton. 1t is well enough to let him 90
the obscurity TO which his own party b
relegated him, but his example shot
not be lost upon those who are so c
fogY as TO really believe that pub
office Is public trust.