The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-01-20
.YE CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS

"YE CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS"
This applies as well to politics as
to religion, and it would be well If
the solons assembled in the State
Capitol would give heed to its SOL
emn warning.
The personnel of this legislature is
above the average in intelligence
and experience, and their intentions
are good; but the rock upon which,
like nearly all their predecessors,
they are likely to split, is the effort
to serve the people and the office
seekers at one and the same time.
This cannot be done. To raraphrase
little, "either they will hurt the
one and help the other, or else they
will hold to one at the expense of
the other. They cannot serve the
pie brigade and the people,
The coal oil inspectors of the
towns want the fees of the big city
inspectors cut down, but they want
theirs let alone. Hence they are
opposed to Mr.. Whites bill to cut
them all alike. But Mr.. Whites
bill is true reform measure and di-
rect in the interest of the people.
Whether the Legislature will adopt
this bill in the interest of the peo-
pie, or whether they will substitute
some other make. believe reform bill
in the interest of the coal oil inspec-
tors, remains to be seen. III
The coal oil inspectors are not
more selfish than other office hold
ers, however. We read in the re-
ports from the Treasurer, Comptrol-
Ter, Secretary of State, Governor,
etc., very eloquent passages about
economy and reform, but when it is
proposed to cut their salaries, or re-
duce their clerical force, how they
do howl, and how they dog the heels
of the legislator beseeching him to
letthem alone.
Talk about the lobby! The biggest
lobby in Tennessee, the one that
most industriously phys it's work, the
most influential one, the one that
costs the people most, the greediest,
most selfish one of the whole horrid
lot, is the lobby of and for the pie
brigade. Some of the most success
full professional lobbyists in the
State, are the loudest ones in their
condemnation of other lobbyists.
There is but one safe course for a
legislator to pursue; and that is to
decide bill upon it's merits; how it
will effect the public good, without
the slightest regard as to how it will
effect his personal friend. A legis.
lator has no moral right to reward a
friend at the expense of the tax
payers who elected him, and he
does this whenever he votes to pay
salary 20 any officer the State can
do without, or votes to maintain a
salary larger than he would pay to
the same men to do the same work
for himself. A legislator who is
more eXtravagant with the money of
the tax payers than he is with his
own, is untrue to the trusts the peo-
pie have reposed in him.
Not single office in the Tennes-
see Capitol, from Governor down to
janitOr, which, if it was being run
by private corporation for profit,
would not be run by men quite as
competent and az half what it now
costs the State.
The legislature was elected on a
platform promising radical reforms
along this line. If these promises of
the platform are not fulfilled; if the
peoples hopes are again disappoint,
ed, as again aud again they have
been, two years from now (and on a
Presidential year at that Tennessee
will indeed and in truth be doubt
full State. Excuses and explanations
won't go another time promises and
pledges and platitudes will not
atone. This legislature must cut
and curtail wherever they can, let
the individual hurt be where it may
The State has been run by and for
the Office holders long enough; the
taxpayers have been bled for their
benefit long enough; they have just
begun to know and realize these
truths, and the people now demand
an inning for themselves.
The Tennessee legislature is