Daily Republican., 1890-04-24

Grub and Conssiencel
The seven members Of the Lew
Court who voted against . reduction
OF the thirty cent per diem rate o
prisoners grub are having . conflic
now between their consciences ant
grub. When the question OF reduc-
ton was fairly and squarely before
them their c0nsciences would never
permit them to vote tor any reduction
OF the thirty cent per day rate, be
cause that was the ''implied contract
between the Levy Court and the
sheriff.
But in this case ''the chickens have
returned hcme to roost" much sooner
than these seven conscientious mo m.
bers OF the Levy Court expected.
With them conscience with SIS, 900
grub bill has proven to be quite q
different thing from conscience with o
$2O, COO grub bill, and now they are
in trodble. They are looking around
Tor some way TO escape from the keen
lashings OF conscience SO that they can
cut down on the grub bill without
giving oliente TO the sheriff and his
friends, and without making them
selves look ridiculous in the eyes OF
the community. After all II Is not
conscience that stands SO much In the
way as the ridicule that it will bring
upon them ii they recede from the
position they publicly took in favor of
q thirty cent grub rate under the
goading OF an acute conscience.
IT II were not for conscience taey
would curse the day that they were
tempted into the arena OF public de. |
bate, where they declared themselves
unequivocally, unaltcrably and con.
sclentiously opposed TO going back on |
an Implied contract. 1t will be long |
time before they again lift their voices,
be they ever SO eloquent, for an i'm |
portant measure in public. The Sc.
cret caucus chamber has for them now
more charms than ever. How stub.
born the fight between grub and con.
science is in the committee and caucus
chambers is one OF those things thst
cannot be ionnd out. One thing, how
ever, is certain, the Levy Court has
adjourned over without settling the
matter. The conflict between grub
and conscience is still TO go on In the
committee chamber and the Court Is to
Meet from time 10 time at cost of
700 per day to take bearings and note
the progress of the battle. 1t Is given
out, however, that there Gun be, there
must he, they say, but one result The
grub bill, they say, must come down.
conscience or no conscience. They
say they cannot 20 before the people
these hard times and ask their appro-
val OF their action after passing SEQ.
OO0 grub bill. Conscience must yield
10 grub. There is a stanzl in "Pope's
Universal Prayer" that runs some.
thing like this;
What conscience dictates to be done,
Or warns me not to do;
This teach ms more than hell 10 shun, I
luis MI re thaaleaven pursue"
This beautiful sentimental couplet
vas the devout prayer OF the seven I
members Of the Levy
Court when the grub bill was con.
'idered publicly, and when it was not
supposed the bill would overrun 1
lj,0 900. but since the bill has reached
bout S20, 600 il has lost all lis charms
Conscience has got to give way TO a
,rut. The Democratic party is more :,
scred than conscience, and grub u
must come down. Implied contracts 4
o the winds. y
This will, however, be little hard Q
On the sheriff, and we ere not sure
hat he will not have good grounds
Tor suit against the county for what |
aver balance the Levy Court refuses 6
o allow him. Tho vote taken already l.
II the court was solemn endorse. &
neat OF the thirty ccut PER day rate q
or grub, and We tail 10 see how the :
'ourt Can 90 behind it, no matter how
arge The bill may be in the aggregate. :
Tie ''implied contract scheme has
Become gun that kills more at the {
in u discharge, than al the ,
muZzle.