The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-06
POLITICAL REFORN


The Press of Saturday has a timely and
creditable editorial on the necessity of reform
in the selection of legislators Its counsels
are wise and patriotic, but its list of excep-
tions to the rule of venality that confessedly
prevails in the Legislature is mockery of its
virtuous protestations. While some of the
names it parades as worthy of respect are
justly so classed, in the list are the names of
several, at least, of those who were conspi-
cuous for their shameless corruption.
We are glad to see the Press speak out SO
decidedly in favor of the absolute necessity of
reform; and we lock for it to carry out prac-
tically its devotion to the good cause. We
beg to call the attention of that professedly
political journal to the important fact, that
reform will not come by any number of gilt
tering generalities in defense of public virtue
For many years the Press, and indeed nearly
all the city journals, have opened each cam
paign with just such demands for reform, and
each year the same rings, and the same class
of corruptionists, control political nominations
and land themselves in our legislature, and in
other important places.
The time has come when something more
than mere newspaper protests in advance of
nominations, will meet the great and growing
public demand for reform. If bad men are
a0mindted they must be defeated! Thus far
the press and the better class Of people have
been content to complain, and vote the
ticket; but hitherto there have always been
important national interests at stake to render
opposition to regular nominations ill-advised.
Now, however, all our national questions are
settled and if the Press and the other jour
nails demanding reform, will but stand out
inhexibly against the success of corruption
tionists, no matter how or by whom nomi-
nated substantial good will be attained.
We welcome the Press to the cause of re-
form, and ask it to go hand in hand to attack
the evil at its fostering roots. For fifteen
years our Legislatures have been growing
more and more corrupt, and each year fresh
shame is flung upon our Commonwealth by
the advancing and swelling tide of legislative
debauchery. 1t cannot be cured by attacking
its branches. They may be cut off this year,
but they will grow more vigorously next year
and soon regain the lost ascendancy. AS long
as the fountain is corrupt, and the temptation
to venality abounds on every hand, just so
long will reform be superficial and short
lived.
To effect lasting reform, it must be funda
mental The fountain of corruption must
be destroyed by taking fro m the Legislature
all power over corporate interests, and re-
quiring all legislation to be by general laws
All our corporate interests should be regu-
lated by general enactments, and the hun
dreds of local laws now passed annually to
effect individual or local interests, should be
transferred to the courts. If this were done
by amendment to our constitution, the temp
tation to corruption would be destroyed, and
professional legislators, disgracing the city
and State during three months of the year,
and loafng on the ourbstones and around the
whisky mills and junk-shops the remainder
of the year, would be unknown.
The Legislature should also be enlarged to
30 large number that Senatorial aspirants-
the only remaining source of corruption
could not attempt to triumph by debauchery.
With our State Treasurer made elective by
the people, and surrounded by wholesome
constitutional checks, and say one hundred
Senators and five hundred members of the
House, our craftsmanship would not be the
creation of the purse, and our State would
cease TO Dc Dy-Weru anu reprohcn because
of the exceptional character of its representa-
tive men. With such Legislature, relieved
of all private populations, and with nothing
but public interests to look after, our sessions
would not last sixty days. The saving to the
people would be counted by millions, and the
saving in honor and in the character and
capacity of our public men would be incalcu-
liable.
Will not the Press join in demanding sub
stantial reform2 If the journals sincerely
desirous of redeeming the State from the
rule of venality and mediocrity, or worse,
will but unite and earnestly call for a consti-
tutional convention, they can witness the
triumph of constitutional reform in the next
Legislature. Already the shutting has COM
menced for repetition of our past shameful
Senatorial contests, so truthfully portrayed
and so earnestly deplored by Colonel Forney
only few years ago, and now is the time to
crush the monster of corruption by aiming at
its vitals. One vigorous united assault along
the whole line will win the day.
THE OREGON ELEOTION