The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-03-10

can only be spasmodic The army
and the navy would not be coordinate
arms Of the service If every naval ofti-
Ger We're willing to stand on his head
to get into the army. or to get his son
placed in the army, enduring the navy
only as a stepping stone to 1t. The
rules of the two Legislative bodies give
the Individual in the upper one an ex-
traordinary grant Of power, while the
ordinary man in the lower house Is al
most Il cipher The members Of the
lower house change so often, with a
third Of the men new in every con-
gress. that they cut Il small figure be-
side a senator who has almost life
position. The patronage and the legis-
!ative privilege which Il senator has TO
DestoW make him when once estab-
,ished almost invincible. The notori-
Gus Mitchell, of Oregon. was fought by
the leading newspaper Of his state for
years, until the Orcgonian became
weary of the crfoct and turned in to
support him. The legislature of the
state which elected him ana Fulton
could do nothing else than give him a
vote OF confidence. Wyoming does not
care to know whether Senator Warren
is padding the payroll with dummies
or not, and only one member of his
party in the legislature votes to inves
tigaIc series OF quite specific
charges.
lndepo nd nee Of the Press.
The Independence OF the press from
this oveIshadOWing senate. ial oligarchy
is one OF the things which the Amer
lean people Should take pains to main
tain. Admission to the press gallery at
the Capitol Is fortunately guarded by
Il rule which forbids The entry Of Il
person holding any office under the
government, or who is Interested In
any contract or legislation The main
tcnanCc OF this rule Is not merely a
concern OF the newspaper workers in
Washington; 1t is Of the utmost i'm
portance to the people of the country
il America IS to have a free and UNI
trnmmeled press and an honest report
of affairs in Washington.
A recent illustrations showing what
| this rule means. may be cited: A cor
| respondent in this city received over
| lures f"Om a newspaper of standing
| 20 undertake It's Washington work
The duties prescribed We're eXucted
| The newspaper wanted letters by mail
| laily and a series of local interests
covered faithfully by wire. The posi-
ton was plainly no sinecure for any
| man. When 1t came to compensation
| the newspaper calmly announced that
| it was willing to pay So month: that
it has always paid this and II had nc
trouble in getting Il goou man for that
| sum. or course. this was merely q
formality to indicate the relation OF
employe and employer: the correspond
ent's real compensation must come
| from the senators OF the state. who
would see that he had Il position Al
the Capitol If he treated them right
How impartial and honest a represen.
tation of Washington affairs can BE-
| furnished in this way may we'll BE- lef
to conjecture and Yet the case is b,
no means an isolated one.
In the multiplication of officers ana
of government work there is no small
| danger that newspaper reporting 3
this capital may be merged into n.
! political system. and so subor3ina,.
to II. Nothing could be more danger
Gus to the public welfare. Fer z iiti!
thing, this press gallery rule, s!thous,
often evaded in split. is most Us=tu!
/ and when the great campo y for S@-s
torial reform comes bout This may ,
one Of the aspects needing -Ii---;o1