Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-29
CIT frttman.
MONTPELIER. VT,
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 20, 1873
The Use of Money in Politics.

Legislation that is purchased is not homes
Gifts are not commonly lavish'Y distlibut Il
to voters and Legislators by persons, cand
dates for Office, or parties seeking or OF
posing legislation, without corrupt inten
Thee propositions are not likely to
disputed.
But the development of investigation
now going on at Washington show giganti
and systematic bribery. Ia this briber
railroads figure prominently. Men, canIi
dates for the United States Senate, lik
Senator Harlan, receive SO, eco for " elec
ton expenses" front a friend, (.ho at tbs
same time is one of the principal managers
Of great railroad and a stakeholder and
manager in the Cred MJbiIer.) and openly
justify the transaction. James Brooks,
member OF the national House of Repre-
seOtatives, and government director in
the Union Pacific Railroad, secures stock in
the Credit Mobier "a corporation swim
ding the government to the tune of miliJrs)
and thus puts into his own pocket, or the
picket of a convenient sOa-in-law, nearly
Sl0O,00O Ot the money thus practically
STOLEN from the q ,vernment. Senator Cald-
well, of Kansas, pays and promises to pay
in various ways from $50 coo toS 100 600 to
buy an election to the United States Senate,
and aiterwa1d refuses to pay according 10
his prom SEES (whst remains un oai1) on til g
ground that the Kansas and Pacti: r il
road which agreed TO he at a part Of the
expense, has not yet paid him, and he hls
Lot yet, as senator, had a chance to 'squetze
them, ard thus get the money.
But why go further with these dishe,rt-
ening rev l;,tions. These are little more
than specimen instances. Arkansas, Louis
lana, and Alabama have been left in a state
little better than anarchy for months, be-
caufe aspirants for off &c could mt be cleo ed
peaceaby. Louisana's case is most dsplDr
able. She has been pundercd by both
eides, and the f5ht for the plumber still goes
on. III Hons upon millions Of state dett
are piled up,-leglslators are bJu hit up like
cattle IN the market, private fortunes are
amassed ny what is only a round-ab )ut
way Of stealing money out of the State and
federal treasures, and the people pay the
bills.
These are only the signs Of the sad ami
dscouraging demoraliz ltion that is rapidly
destroying all the purity and virtue OF re
publican government The people are, IN
fortunately, in a thousand ways beins
misled by designing, misehevJus me1, ali
are persuaded to give their votes for and
hurrah over what is called triumph OF prin-
eIples, but what is in fact only a method O
transferring from the pockets of the whole
people, to the private fortunes of the few,
money collected through taxation, or wrunE
from the har / earnings of men and Jmen
by strong and rich cOTporations and m)nop-
olies. DISPATCH companie>, Credit Mohiiier
aud the like are only the inuer rings which
grow fat, while the outer circle Of stock
holders grow lean and poor; and these inner
rings in politics are only similar devices by
which the managing men in the winning
parties secure, through hundred devices 0
to'Oia'iC icidttOu auu tACtuliNS dCtlOiis tux
special iavors that enrich them at the ex-
peuse Of tie people.
1t is thus that the greed for money is pol
sonirg the very sources of political power il
this country, aud thus politics has become
trade which railroad companies and specula-
tors engage in as a matter Of business, anu
which. unfortunately, they are too often able
wholly TO control. The public Conscience
appears deadeLed, and public morals SO de-
bauched that 1t seems sometimes hopeless to
look for anyth ing better until tie patient
gets 60 bad that like Democracy in New
York, under Tweed, corruption b eame
so bod, defiant and gigantic, as to command
attention and forbid apology or excuse.
Tie 70 i'd to this hell of corruption is smooth
and easy but how shall we get back to
virtue and honesty in public Inc? How shall
We restore purity to the ballot and to legisIa
ton? How shall We come once more to
uupurchased elections, and visit with the
scOru with it deserves the venality that
SELL, by wha lever name of - election expen-
ses'' OF Creiit Mohilier stock, or lesi lie
tai Iers, or spe:ial f.vors, any vote whether
in the United States Senate, or il ward
primary me ting?