South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1890-07-04
LEoIsLAr,yE Lon-RoI,,ro m


LEGIsLATivE Loo RoLLINe. The
congressional vice of log-roilipg 10
Incl caring more and more 18th each
recurring session. AS the country
expands and popu'a,iou extends over
larger areas special wants arc devei-
eped. and instead OF undertaking TO
supply them by State legislation il
has become the practice 70 Sall back
on Congress and to organise, 10 con-
cert with others, . raid on The federal
treasury. Every man who has On AZ
to grind Is willing to help TO grind
other people's axes IL they will con.
sent to sssist in grinding h,s own.
IT is these combinations among mem.
bers tha, have taken The lum bermen's
name OF log rolling, because it re-
quires many hands To do tho work that
few men cannot do with their own
unaided strength. This practice In
legislation 10 . most peruicious one.
1t reduces the business Of Congress
to . system Of grabs and deals. The
Hennepiu canal People, for instsnce.
agree to vote for o'her peoples ca
na's and to join without compunct,on
10 making appropriations for every
little inlet or shallow that every am.
bilious member may win the applause
OF bis constituents for ostepsibly ia
king Care OF their local interests.
The river and bar Dor bill is Rue ex.
ample Of this species Of Iog-rollisg.
IL Is q combination of members to
get money spent where very often IL
is not decided On the prstense of i'm.
proving creeks and streams that do
not carry water enough TO Aoat nat
boat. But the evil goes much fare
ther. Every little town IF few thou
sand inhabitants must have q new
postc flee built at the expense Of the
government, anil members make that
agreement to vote for some other
measure. more or less deserving, on
condition that their demand shall be
conceded. Win the caucus binding
party men to vote as q unit ON oil
measures that the caucns insists on
enactirg. supplemented by log.roll-
ing to carry local bills. the Congress
no longer represents in its legislation
the interests of the whole body of the
people, but is broken up in'o factions
aud coalitions intent on tue one hand
In depicting the revenue in every con-
ceivable way. and on tue other il en-.
trenchiDg themselves politically in
control OF the government. At this
time the silver men have bamboozled
the Senate into passing a bill for the
free coinage Of silver. ald are attempt.
ing to stampede the House. We are
sorry to say that some democrats are
supporting them in a scheme the ul-
Innate effect OF which would be to
drive ont gold and flood the country
with the cheaper metal. Senator
"olco,t, in his advocacy of free sill.
yer, demanded the passage of the bill
as right, and minated that tue sill
YER men of The Yves. "would not have
been Of such assistance TO tue protec.
tlonists Of the East in the last presi-
DENTAL cleo ioh il they had supposed
that promises to rehabilitate silver
were not TO be kept" Ia other words,
there was bargain made to give the
silver men the free image OF silver if
they " .uld support the Eastern man.
utactnrers by voting for high ta'iG.
Almost without exception the Con-
9res' OF hts session has been n trad.
lng Congress. and the demand for the
lowering Of the tariff in the interest
OF consumers has born subordinated
to tho greed Of men who have no more
right To have the profit ON their silver
increased than the merchant TO de-
mand that Congress shall pass q bill
TO increase The profit on his goods
Give me your votes and We will give
you what you want" This. whether
made by apoliticsl party Or any mem.
Der OF both parties, 10 simply log
rolling, and the sooner the people
suppress the evil the better il will be
for the people. Baltimore Sun.
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