Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 May 1882 — A Carnival of Jobbery. [ARTICLE]

A Carnival of Jobbery.

Never in tLe history of this eountry has the rush for special legislation been so great as in the present Republican Congress. Secor Robeson, of unsavory reputation, is the leader of his party in the House, and a most fit subject to lead a raid upon the treasury. Such spoliation of the treasury in comparison has heretofore been unknown in Congress. Competent officers of the House have computed the bills and resolutions and the amounts which they propose to authorize to be paid out of the treasury, which are simply enormous, 6,664 bills and 185 joint resolu - tions having been introduced, involving payments from the treasury amounting to $643,811,936. This sum does not include the allowance matte by 1,190 pension bills which have been passed and which are pending. The majority in the House looks upon these long arrays of figures with profound indifference. Grantism has been made respectable by this carnival of prodigality and plunder. This Congress will end in a wild debauch of reckless appropriations. That $150,000,000 surplus in the treasury is a feast for harpies and invites the liveliest anticipations of rings and robbers. That sum is a tidbit around which the wolves howl and struggle. Many of these bills will be kept back until the waning hours of the session, when, amid the confusion, they will be rushed through and become laws. It appears that almost every one is interested in one of these magnificent steals, so that by concerted action the last moments of this Congress will witness plundering on a scale more gigantic than ever witnessed before. The millions of acres of lapsed land grants, which involve a domain larger than the States of New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, are in the hands of such committees and under such influences that the corporations interested wiil carry their sway against the poor settlers, who must suffer the loss of all. Those lands foot up in value over $210,000,000 at the minimum prices, and yet corporate influences will secure such legislation as will give these lands back into the hands of the railroad companies, who have no more rights in them than they have in Van Dieman’s land. T?he fact is, the present Congress is under corporate control, as is also the administration. It is well there is a strong and vigilant minority in our legi dative halls.

The people cannot watch too closely the members from their districts. These men in theory are the servants of the people, but they have finally become their mastert, and most severe taskmasters do they prove. —Grand Rapids Democrat.