Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1901-04-26

nivance, with cringing and crooking
OF the knee that thrift may follow
fGwning, the rights of the people are
being frittered away, their constitu-
ton is being disregarded; and, shame
upon shame, this is to be done here
in what is supposed to be the house
of representatives of the American
people, which is really the house of
representatives of the bosses and trad
ers and tratfickers who have no respect
for the constitution, those who have no
respect for their constituencies, those
who have no respect for their own
manhood, those who surrender away
their every right, those who grovel
in the dust and seem to rejoice that
they may so crawl, instead of stand
ing erect, as God probably intended
they should do"
That sounds like part of po-
litical speech, but II was not. 1t
was aimed at men of both political
parties who were giving up their in
dividual opinions in order that they
might get at the 'pie" bills, 50 that
political thrift should follow for their
own selfish purposes.
There should be some remedy for
this condition of affairs in the con-
gress, and the remedy lies with the
people. Every man in the republic
should divest himself of partisan
feeling in the matter. 1t is useless
TO blame either party, as party,
for their representatives are human,
and in that respect are all alike. The
people should give their senators and
representatives to understand thar
appropriations for exploiting the in
terests of favorite localities are un-
constitutional; and that appropria-
tions for rivers and harbors must be
made on the plane of craftsmanship,
and not on the plane of the partisan
or politician.
Senator Allison, of Iowa (rep.),
chairman of the senate committee
on appropriations, and Senator Cock
rell, of Missouri (dem.), former
chairman of the committee on appro-
priations; the two men of different
parties who know most about ma
tional appropriations, frequently
spoke with earnestness, with words
of warning, and with pleading, that
the expenditures might be cut down;
but those honest and painstaking
leaders were powerless against the
mob of self-seekers who were deter
mined to secure their portion of the
loot of the treasury.
The regular subscribers and read
ers of this paper must have noticed
that the correspondent has dealt in
kindly manner with public men, and
they will understand that it is with
very keen regret that these truths
are told concerning them. Every
man, including the politicians, de-
sires to better his condition. Repre-
and senator's desire to become presi-
dents. Like merchants and mechan-
les who seek their individual better
ment these public servants some
times subordinate public interest to
self-interest, and they are going too
far in that direction
Although there are many politi-
tcians who believe that he did not
| fulfill the requisites G. his own dec
laration in all respects, Grover Cleve-
land certainly penneu an axiom which
all public men ought to know and un-
|, derstand when he said: Public Office
Us a public trust" The representa-
tives OF the people and the senators
Of the sovereign states ought to real
lie that fact better than they have re.
Gently done. SMITH d. FRY