The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-09-30
TL@ Age of Corruption-t serious
Matter.

Matter.
Tine present day will probably figure
F., american history as the Age OF Cor
murinu: for certainly, official SeDallty
rr,rr before attained such enormous
gAa friGhtful proportions ~ u has nn-
d.s the r%l. of the party now III power
I-, u4!SoLx are awaTe-indeed few
prrsaus can coaceive-hOw prodiSiOus
IhrSr calTHptionS are The people suf-
fer and gs0an under oppressive taxes;
nut rhcy do k,ot fully realize that these
llNr> are rs heavy ~ they are 10 make
ap the deficiency caused by otfcia!
aiNudrringS.
4 "CitizcnS' Association in New York
.,a, lnst addressed to Hon. GEORGE OPP
Dlhr. Chairman of the Special Commit
lee on Legislative Corruption in the
Ncw York State Convention, letter OF
much interest ON this subject. This
irrtrr shows what official corruption
has done and is doing in New York,
nhLcr the party in power, and depicts
t WIKI such power, as to arrest the
attention aad excite the alarm of the
raoFlr
i, u, well S.EO~'H ~ every intelligent
man romveIsant with i-aiiic affairs" "
,ay> the letter "that corruption has be-
come organized throughout the State,
,ud has assumed such alarming proper
,apaS th at capital, labor, and the indus
,sir and commercial classes are Cypress:
7G toa degree unknown. even i'll coun-
lTirN where the most absolute and tyr
auncal form of Government prevails.
Thousands OF men have banded together
ID this State into IL foul and monstrOus
ronspiracy To plunder from the hard
earnings of all who labor honestly.
CAAcS have risen To the most dangerous
.r sht. aud still the tide is swelling and
Using higher and higher"
SgCm tks report o. the standing Conn.,
mttee on Finance of the New York
Constitutional Convention, u appears
that the State, local and natiopai debt for
that State amounts to about S633.53l, =
t-2 -. and the whole taxable property
Of the State to about 81 ,639, ,40 .6i5.
From this it appears thas the State Is
'sdcbied TO more than eae-ihId Of the as
''s..d rdias Of its property. Also,
THAI the annual State, local and ma
honal taxes (direct or indirect) amount
10 about slSO, ,9Sl ,39s 30, or six per cent.
on : valuation of property i'll the state
OF s3,gQQ,OOO. .O0O. which is twice the esti-
mated yslIe.
The follov.ES extract from the letter
exhibits a picture which many intelli-
ssut and Observant citizens at once re-
rogalze rs faithful and cOrrect-not on
" IN New York, but in Hest TTgiRid,
aud IN nearly every other State where
RadicaliSm has held sway:
The demOralizing influences of cOrrup-
ilon are rapidly penetrating social life.
and iampering with the Press, the Pull
PIT and With the Judge upon the bench,
poisoning Justice Mt the fountain head,
>lpping morals, religion and education.
This question so vast, so vital, so
momentous, must be brought home to
the fireside Of every man in the State.
lhe war is over with its absorbing eS-
ritement, aud the people have now
Iei>nre to take up aud carefully exam
ne the ways and means ef crushing out
corruption and the corrnptiOnists as
ihey did slavery. 1t is not many years
ago since the great majority of the
mrmbeIs both of the Senate and Assem-
bly wers men OF individual worth, of
Standing integrity, and most honorable
IN their. every word and act, who gave
! heir time and talents for the beuefit of
The State. and who bad no deslre to
profit by their position,
IL is unnecessary Tor us to state how
Ihe times In this respect have become
changed; how men strive for election TO
The Legislature With DO desire to serve
The .pnblic good, bat solely TO pse their
position to enrich themselves. The
contrast between the men who now fili