The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-03-29


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 a part of po-
litical speech, but it 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, so 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 representative are human,
and in that respect are all alike. The
people should give their senators and
representatives to understand that
appropriations for exploiting the in
terests of favorite localities are I'M
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.
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-
sentatives desire to become senator's,
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
clans who believe that he did no,
fulfill the requisites O. his own dec
laration in all respects, Grover Cleve-
land certainly penned an axiom which
all public men ought to know and un-
derstand when he said: Public Office
is a public trust" The representa-
tives or the people and the senator's
of the sovereign states ought to real
ize that fact better than they have re-
Gently done.
In the house of representatives the
appointment of chairmen and MEM
bers of committees; and every speak
er selects the best men for those po-
sitions because it is to his own in
terest, as well as to the public inter-
est, to do so. But during the session
which has recently closed the speaker
was powerless to prevent the univer-
sal demand for appropriations of al
most every description. He could
shut off special bills; but the repre-
sentatives who failed to have their
way in the house would go to their
senators and induce them to place
amendments upon house bills where
plished.
So, you see, you cannot blame in
dividual leaders nor political parties.
but the individuals themselves, who
are seeking to accomplish their own
ambitions. The sooner the people
understand these conditions, and
bring their moral suasion and influ-
ence to bear upon the men whom
they choose to represent them in the
federal government, the better it will
be for all the people in every way;
and the better it will be for our sys-
tenn of government, which is not, as
it ought to be, government "of the
people, by the people and for the
people" SMITH d. FRY.