People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-03-02

Mrs. Blount's trip to Hawaii. ut is
said that Mrs. Blount enjoyed the
Jaunt exceedingly. The money came
out of the "secret service fund" 1t
always did puzzle me to know why
there must be so much secrecy about
the transactions of the business of a
government of, for and by the people
A few days since when the inquiry
was raised in the senate as to the
source from whence Mr. Blount got
his pay for going over to set the queen
of the Cannibal islands back on her
throne, Senator German rose and
with much senatorial solemnity OBJ
jected to an investigation. He said:
81 u uld consider it great misfor-
IT, under the peculiar circumstances
for the senate to enter on an inquiry
as to whether the secret service fund
has been properly expended by the
last administration or by the present
one. Two years ago we placed fund
at the disposal of Mr.. Harrison to en-
able him to protect the interests of
this great country, and l have no
doubt that it has been expended con-
scientiously and for the interests of
the country. But no inquiry into it
has been attempted or suggested. If
1t were, should take the same po-
sition against it that I take now"
Inasmuch as the alleged partners in
our firm, i. e., the people, were not
consulted in this matter with Mr..
Blount, and inasmuch as he was Mr.
Cleveland's special, personal and pri-
vately instructed messenger, suppose
we decline TO pay Mr.. Cleveland's per-
sonal debts. We did not order this
expenditure, Let us send the bill to
the white house for collection.
The Presidents Pay.
Times are nard and business is dull.
They do even say that some quite
excellent people in this country have
been little short of iood and clothes
this winter. The aforesaid excellent
people are supposed to be shareholl-
ers in our firm. They are voters, and
during presidential campaign times
they are much beloved. Many of them
have had their wages lowered. Why
not pass that method around? Fifty
thousand dollars per year is large clerk
hire. It's big pay for signing the few
bills which run the gantlet of both
houses of congress.
Abraham Lincoln once said that he
would like to live to be worth S25, 900.
as that was all any man ever ought to
want or have. Our firm pas out over
$50, coo per year for white no Sc serv.
ice for Grover Cleveland in addition
to his salary, and furnishes him a gov.
eminent vessel to 60 duck hunting
down the Potomac. It.does seem that
it would not be unreasonable for con
gress to pass bill reducing his sal.
airy to $4,000. Of course Grover
would veto it, but Senator Hill could
see that the bill was passed over hi:
veto. And really with all of Grover,
Wall street stock, his real estate, hi.
coal lands, and his elegant summer
and winter residences at Buzzard',
Bay, it does seem that he might afford
the reduction. If he thought he coulC
not, he could resign, and several thou
sand democrats who Nurrahed ant
voted for him would accept his resig
nation with thanks.
Change Conditions.
Possibly the government firm coulC
stand all this till-robbing, pocket
picking, pilfering and blazing ex
travagance if the men employed t
transact its business would allow sucl
legislation as would promoA the gen
eral welfare. If the greedy bandit
who have wrecked industry woul
take their strangling, murderous fin
gers from off the throat of the natio
rSd permit idle, suffering labor t
apply itself to our superabundau
natural resources the country woul
quickly work its way To sound pro:
perity and happy competency for ever
man, woman and child on the COL
tinent.
Let congress pass a graduated in
come tax, an inheritance tax, and
| corporation tax, and thus gradual
reduce the dangerously large fortune