Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 March 1893 — THE LEGISLATURE’S GREATEST SIN. [ARTICLE]

THE LEGISLATURE’S GREATEST SIN.

The County Commissioners last week refused to consider the application of Charles Gundy, .of Fair Oaks, for a saloon license, on the ground that the Pilot, in which paper the notice of intention to apply was published, was not a “newspaper of general circulation” within the meaning of the law. We are not informed of the nature of the Commissioners’ reasons for tjiis decision, but presumably they were based upon the fact that the Pilot is published, professedly at least, as an advocate and organ of a secret society—the farmers’ alliance—and as such, has been, if we are rightly'informed, held not to be a lawful medium for legal advertising. Papers published in the special interest of any church or secret society, usually have the most of their circulation Among members of such churches or secret organizations, and so are

rightfully held not to be papers of general circulation, within the proper meaning of that term. If the Pilot publishers think that the decision in their case was not just and right, their proper remedy is to appeal to the higher courts. Ordinarily, and as a general rule, perhaps, courts ought to construe pretty liberally the term “newspaper of general circulation” in deciding upon the legality of publications in any paper; but when the case is like that of the Pilot, whose columns for months have teemed with the most slanderous, virulent and malignant abuse of the county commissioners and all other Republican officials; as well as in the advocacy of the most execrable principles of anarchy and communism, it is expecting too much of human nature to expect that such a paper will be shown any more favors than the law compels, by those who are the specia objects of its rancorous malice. The man who fawns upon the hanc that smites him is an object of universal contempt.

President Cleveland is now announcing new rules every day for shutting out all applicants for office except standard-bred mugwumps. No man that drinks whisky (champagne is the mugwump drink,) and no man that has ever held office under him before, can be appointed; and a newer rule still is to shut out newspaper editors. He declares that President Harrison subsidized the press by giving offices to many editors and owners of papers, and that since the Democratic press severely criticised that action it would not be consistent for him now to follow the same course. President Cleveland believes the press should be untrammeled, free to criticise an administration, and that when there is praise of an administration's work it should not come through office-holding quills and subsidized sources. This decision will be a little tough on editor Isherwood, of the Delphi Times, whom Congressman Hammond had slated for the Delphi post-office, and will be a serious damper on the hopes of Bro. McEwen, of the Rensselaer Sentinel, for the decision is to be made particularly applicable to newspaper men who desire to be postmasters in their own towns. Mr. Bissell has had the names of some country editors presented to him in connection with various postoffices, but has uniformly declined to give any encouragement to the office seeker. He lays down the principle that in small towns all the utterances of the newspaper which / ■■ -

the postmaster-editar presides ever will be regarded as the views of the administration, wMle, on the other hand, all praise ofMr. Cleveland’s acts will be discountedcause it emenates from the- recipient of official favor. Therefore Mr.. Bissell does not propose- to appoint any editors to be postmasters, and the President will observe the same rule in disposing of the higher offices.

Regarding one of the economical achievements of the lately defunct “reform” legislature, the Delphi Journal says. The Hoosier amalgamation of fakirs that have been “working” for fifty days on the State Treasury with remarkable success, have achieved another bold piece of wickedness which, perhaps, eclipses all former efforts of their predecessors. About the first day of its session in the State House it decided to grab $105,000 at one swipe to pay its expenses while carrying out the remainder of its nefarious designs. Out of that $105,000 about $70,000 will be devoted to the salaries of members, clerks, doorkeepers, janitors and other “supes,” and the remainder will be given to the State printer, for he has been printing .hundreds of worthless bills,, and has furnished enough knives, pencils, pens and writing paper to last the members and their friends for ten years, to come. If, after all expenses are paid, there is anything left it will be returned to the State. Last week the association began to fear that there might be something left and an innocent, lamblike resolution which easily slid through the Senate was framed. It was offered by Senator Thayer and demanded the sum of $1,755.50 for the expenses of conducting the in-

quiry at the southern prison. The resolution gave an itemized statment of how the cash was tobe used, but it was not read. But here are three of the items: To Emma Salter, stenographer 12 days.s 825> To Martin Fleenor, accountant 12 days.. M 8 To John W. Coons, accountant 12 da- 8.. 448 Total The remainder will be used for witness fees and other expenses. Fleenor, one of the accountants, was chcsen by the democrats to look over-Warden Patten’s books. It is said that he got confused over them and did not complete the work, so Coons had to be called in to assist, which made it cost the State almost S9OO. The.stenographer was paid $34.72 per day for her Work by the kind hearted investigators.”

Of all the sins of the late Legislature, of commission or omission the re-enactment of the gerrymander was the greatest. It was .the worst in its motive, since it aimed a deadly blow at popular government and disfranchised a large portion of the voters of the State. It was notamere job, but acrime. It was not aimed at a special interest, but at the whole people. It was not passed under the influence of the lobby, but deliberately, not in excitement, but coolly and with malice aforethought- Its sole object was to give a minority of the voters in the State undisputed political control of a majority. The act was a gross insult to the Supreme Court, since it is almost identical with one already held unconstitutional. In passing it the Legislature virtually asserted their belief that a Democratic Supreme Court would, for partisan reasons, reverse a decision based os solid constitutional grounds and following the precedents in three other States. No greater insult to a court could be conceived than this.

This infamous law will be attacked in the courts. It will not be done in passion nor for partisan purposes, but with a determination to defend the rights of the people and to obtain a permanent settlement of. the question whether the Legislature can override the Constitution, and whether a Democratic caucus w superior to the Supreme Court