The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-03-20
QUOTATIONS BY THOs. c. HODGsON.
Springer and st. JOhn-Where Is KEEL
lars Bill to Cut Salaries in Half
The Legislature and the Feeble
Minded-Caustic Criticisms.


Springer and st. John-Where Is KEEL
lars Bill to Cut Salaries in Half:-
The Legislature and the Feeble
Minded-Caustic Criticisms.
The great pauper factory at Washington
closed down at high noon on March 4. A
strike and a lockout both at the same
time.
The Republican newspapers all quote with
great gusto the fact that the reporters at
the national capital Joined in the long
meter doxology when congress adjourned.
1t does not seem to occur to these papers
that their employees sang the te -deum be-
cause they were to have respite from
lying for while. But Republican sheets
are dreadfully stupid at best.
I have never known a more fragrant case
of congressional insolence than the reply
of Congressman Springer to Banker st.
John. st. John had been called before the
finance committee of the house to voice
the free silver sentiment of the country.
Like an honest and candid man, he told
the committee that he thought the national
treasury was too weak to risk the expert
ment of paying out silver Instead of gold.
AS soon as the new loan was cOnSummated
and the treasury replenished and strength
ened, Mr.. st. John wrote Springer that he
thought was the time for the govern
ment to pay out silver, and that it would
be subject to criticism if it did not. OF
course st. John knew that the government
would do no such thing, but he evidently
wished to set himself right on the record.
Springers reply was condensed insolence.
He paraphrased st. Johns letter and sent
1T back, advising him to pay all checks
on his bank in silver and the country
would criticise him if he did not. So
intent was the congressman upon insulting
the free silver banker that he did not
observe that he was tacitly admitting that
st. Johns bank was a bigger institution
than the great government of the United
States. If 1 remember right Springer was
elected to stay at home next term. So
mote it be. There are smart Alexis
enough in congress without him.
Will somebody explain why it is that
the common people, who can't migrate to
Paris, should be taxed forever to support
the American snobbery who can't find
anybody good enough to marry on this
side the Atlantic? If the Gould girl who
has just thrown herself away on a titled
nonetity would have gathered up her ten
or twenty millions and taken them with
her, she would have conferred lasting
favor upon the country she has abjured.
VIII somebody furnish a list of the nabobs
in foreign lands who live on the industry
of American people? If the party of pro-
lection in this Countrywide party which
believes in America for the Americans
would bestir itself little to protect us
from the drain of foreign as we'll as do
nestle plutocracy, it would prove it's right
to new lease of life. Titled mendicancy
IN Europe seems to have struck a gold
mine in this country and they are work
ing it for all it is worth. Meantime we.
the American people, have still the oppor-
tunty to earn with our sweat the millions
they spend on the people of Europe in
tnelr pride. No doubt we ought to be
thankful; but it is human nature to grum-
Die, and We venture to call upon the party
once more in power to exercise it's penchant
for protection, to relieve us from the bur-
den OF, not the pauper labor, but the pau
per aristocracy of Europe, as we'll as the
shoddy aristocracy of America.
walking through the hall to the gallery
of the house of representatives not long
ago l accosted a back country farmer
coming out after having listened to the
members Wrangling over nothing for three
mortal hours WELL" said l, what do
you think of the Minnesota legisla
rs that the legislature he replied "why,
l thought it was the school for the feeble
minded Now, such a palpable mistake
as this is the direct result Of living in iso-
lation and taking but little interest in
public affairs. Had that mossback farmer
been posted he never would have cast such
a slur upon the institution at Faribault
That farmer ought to have been condemned
to serve in the legislature himself Such
ignorance is intolerable and no punishment
can be too severe. Let the Faribault in
stitution protest.
By the way what has become of Senator
Kellar's bill to cut all salaries in two.
kellar is hustler and ought to have been
heard from long before this. His we'll
known penchant for public economy and
private acquisition made him the ideal
champion OF all such measures as that al
luded to above. We all expected to see the
bill go through with rush Popular senti
ment is overwhelmingly in favor of the
bill What is the legislature dilly -dallying
about? 1t can't be that they are not in
earnest in their professed zeal for public
economy. We were to have an economical
sesslon-a cheap session, if you please; less
clerks with less pay and 60-day session
and less appropriations, and the Lord
knows what resolutions of economy were
Matching in the minds of this overwhelm-
lngly Republican legislature. But the
chicks don't come. What is the matter?
Has kellar forgotten his constituents?
Never! Didn't he try to get an approDria
ton through for their relief? But where's
the economy in appropriations? We can
see where 1t comes In when you cut sal
aries. and we see the justice of cut
ting them in two when we remember that
dollars are worth twice much as they
used to be.
For two years we have been told that
times would recover when the government
revenues should equal or exceed the expen-
ditures, and yet it does not seem to have
occurred to either congressman or president
that the much desired object could be
achieved in a single month by cutting the
expenditures in two. After all, Senator
keliar comes nearer being statesman
than any other legislator in the country
The only trouble is that he is a statesman
In repose and business man in action
and his business instincts get away with
his craftsmanship every time Meanwhile
the country is suffering for a statesman
WELL ANSWERED.