The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1889-12-06

we or six months the people OF the
country will live in expectation OF hear-\
ing some good news from the seat OF
government, but in this they will, as
usual, be disappointed. The principle
business OF our national legislators is in
hiding the crimes they are guilty Of i'll
securing their places and working
through jobs for the purpose OF enrich
ing themselves. No honest man would
care to stay in congress more than one
term as there is no additional honor to
be gained and it is well known that the
salary does not pay the expenses, to say
nothing OF the loss OF time for which he
can get anything except the ''pickings."
A test OF common sense shows us that
no sane man would serve the public for
nothing, and pay his WI board, to say
nothing OF spending thousands OF dol
lars to secure the chance, unless there
were something more than "glory" be-
hind the "throne." 1t is a well authen-
ticated fact that nearly all the members
OF both houses are gamblers and drunk
ards. At least two OF South Dakota's
new Honorables are that to start on.
It is useless to palliate and excuse by
saying they only "indulge" occasionally
as q relief from the arderOus duties i'm
posed on them. Some people may see
beauties about a drunken congressman
that cannot be discovered in a rounder
who has absorbed too much i%nvigor-
ator; it is possibly more respectable to
play draw poker and faro, under the
weight Of a congressional hat than to do
so while wearing the garb OF common
m%ortals, but we confess that we cannot
see the difference. In fact we think the
common drunkards and tin horn gambl-
ers Of the country fully as respectable
and vastly more honorable than those
WI are paying to do our legislation.
Another feature OF congressional life is
the appointment, by "fatherly" con.
gressmen and senators of their frall friends
to lucrative and Convenient post.
ions. To be sure there are cases where
worthy and virtuous females are SO ap'
pointed but there are vastly more cases
where the appointees are nothing NOR
nor less than mistresses for their con.
gressional friends. We understand that
this is plain talk, but it is the unvar'
nished truth as we know from having
been acquainted with a number OF these
wise law makers and heard them recite
their experiences and those OF theil
brethren. No man who spends his
nights in debauchery can be Of any pos
sible use to his country in the day time
nor can any man who draws a losing
salary waste money. like a prince and
get rich at the same time unless he
steals his means. With these premisee
it is easy to reach the conclusion that
the looking up the steals and covering
the tracks Of the same occupies all the
time that the average congressman car
keep sober and awake. Ifyou doubt
our conclusions watch the history o.
the congress now in session. Every act
will be a sob" OF some kind. Every
member of congress and senator vii
have a private secretary who really
does all the work. writes, his. chief
speeches and keeps him hid when drunk
No bill will become a law until just at the
close Of the term and then the s'hurry''
will excuse members for voting fol
steals. OF course there will be som
work done that looks as if there wert
no jobbery in it, but it is only seeming
somewhere will Turk dollars for the law
maker. Never since the days OF civilized
governments began has there ever beer
such an unblushinglot of thieves, drunk
ards and gamblers as the present Amer
lean congress. Az well look for mercy
from a band OF Apache Indians al
honest measures from such q source.