The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1906-02-01
Current Comment on Leading Topics

is CONGRESS CORRUPT?

is CONGRESS CORRUPT?
An intense spot light" has been turned upC
congress. At present the senate occupies Il
exact center of this light the house being som
where the circumference. The light show
the United States senate in its true colors an
they are found to be- not brilliant, but vergn
toward black;
The senate, which has stood for many
iow-down acts of members, felt compelled to
deny Burton seat on the floor. He was not
assigned to place on any committee He
refused TO resign. He has not served his state
IN this congress. He has done no act to earn
the pay of senator Yet he appeared in
the senate chamber one day this week just
long enough to be identified for mileage for
the present session. He had no right to
one dollar from the treasury He was dis
honest in taking it. The senate was dis
honest In voting it to him. In other words
II was case of larceny of the peoples money.
burton could not get the money without the
ald OF pals. The aid was given willingly
is 1t any wonder that the people are ashamed
OF the upper house of congress- To what
low state it has fallen, indeed, when it
participates in such barefaced steal as
this.-Buffalo Evening Times
With active powers that thus hold legis.
iation In Its grip on one side and execu-
i've exercise on the other, the senate has
grown beyond the intentions of the fathers.
instead OF becoming to the people protec.
tloh and conservative force it has become
the servant of special interests, of trusts
anu corporations of various kinds The story
~ ser out with unmistakable painness in
our washington correspondence The people
VIII nave to face the fact that this most mower.
iul BODY IN their institutions does not renre
sent them. BY this is meant not that now
ana again and at all times there should he
III THIS Dody men that are the agents of snecial
,n,erests, men that are there to control legs-
ia.ion lor private and against public inter-
ests When these clash-such thing is to he
expected III public affairs-but that the Num-
per OF senators who are thus openly and.
aVowedly such agents has so increased that
tue speclal interests control all the affairs
ol the American people That such condi
,ioh should be permanent; that the American
peopie should tolerate such a perversion of
theif institutions is unthinkable Sions 81
protest and effort against it have been grow.
ing Tor years But the fault is inharen+ j.;
the constitution Of the senate with ;+s
powers Vi veto both on legislative and ey
.s action. We are paying the price Of
a NJ ia'neIs uis.rust OF the people We have
the constitution of the electoral COLLAGE ~
iiis reduced the body to the nominal reeister.
ing machine to which, in fact nract;oal1,
tne Englsh have reduced the House of Tords
nut .he senate Is. not so easily reformed
1au ; yer we can not doubt that ultimately
way VIII De Iound.-lndianapolis News
whether congress is corrupt is a mattar
40 De determined by public investigation Of
tue very specific charges made bv Oscar
Terry Crosby in Golfers Weekly. Mr.. Crosby
desre sa, ne was in charge of the legislation
pes,,ea w the Ecklngton and Soldiers Home
Railroad company which had franchise i in
me District OF Columbia and desired add.
uohai powers. He had bill introduced AMI
passed passed IN the senate. In the house it was
cohanhi, 10 ,ne committee on the District of
- iumoia, whose chairman was Congressmon
same Babcock who Is chair.
man OF tne republican congressional com.
mt, Mr.. Crosby says that he went -
ra nalaan babeock and asked to have the bill
,spoIeed, chairman Babcock replied that
Mr.. Crosby's corporation had eyidenti,, ' fa
souen the existence of the republican con-
sresslonal committee and its constant naaa