The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-03-27
The Decline of Political Morals.

The Decline or POLITICAL MORALS
It is hopeful augury for purer political
atmosphere, when the strictly non-partisan
press of the country begins to 1cyote portion
of its time aud brains to the thoughtful con-
sid,ration of governmental affairs, and mani
tests disposition for more active and positive
participation in the moulding and shaping of
the political sentiment of American readers to
more elevated plane of political direction.
Such periodicals as Appleton's journal, for
example, as rule, withhold from the discus
sion of issues of political character. But
the subsistence of angry sectional storms, with
the wreck and fragments of parties floating
upon the surface of ageneral calm, now affords
an opportunity for q more intellectual and less
passionate survey of our political prospective.
Guardedly avoiding an expression of partisan
opinion, the journal above cited, proposes-and'
with propriety which will not be gainsayed-
to consider the tendency of political move
ments and discuss from philosophical point
of view those issues that fundamentally affect
the welfare of the country. So far as it takes
stand at all, it expresses itself as wishing to
be considered as united with that small body Of
thinkers who aim to limit the functions Of
government, and who believe that the best
results accrue to that people who enjoy the
largest liberty in the employment of their
energies. If there is mission now before the
world worthy of the genius of great leaders, it
is one which would aim to subordinate the uses
and the authority of the government, to expose;
its incapacity for every function beyond that
of maintaining order and securing justice, and
to establish the broad principle, once common
ly asserted, but now forgotten, that that is the
best governed country which is governed least.
Under the influence of such principle, it
thus considers political evil now occupying
the attention Of every thoughtful reader:
"The oficialcorruption that prevails in low
places and high places is one of the most
alarming exhibitions of the times. Il has led
people TO Believe in general decadence of
viftue, and it obviously threatens the wreck of
republican institutions. But this abounding
evil is absolutely no evidence of decay of
virtue, but rather of multiplication of those
conditions that by sptoviding opportunity in
crease the temptations of men. The CONNER
cial and political frauds now so common, are
both products of the developed relations of
men they are outgrowths OF immensely null
tiplied business and social interchanges of
which ancient times have no conception The
railroads, which in, less than half g. century
have become so powerful in commerce and
formidable in politics, alone account for
great proportion of recent legislative corrup-
Congress they employ vast wealth, great In
genuity, and continually obtain their ends by
bribery and corruption 80 subtle that their
tools scarcely understand the success with
which they have been bought and sold. AS
time progresses this interest will immensely
increase, and it is obvious that, unless some
check is imposed, it will fairly own and control
all our governments, general and local. In
time it will not simply purchase Legislatures;
it will go to the source, and secure the election
of Legislators to suit its ends; as, indeed, this
has already been done in few instances. In
our railway system; as it stands related to gov
ernment, we have a foreshadowing of what the
future will be in many other things. Interests
of other kinds will combine to secure their
ends, and government will be converted into an
instrument for the furtherance of private pur-
poses. Even official matters continually null
tiply in details, and enlarge in transaction, as
the postoffice notably bears witness and, if to
this necessary expansion of duties, Government
essays To keep paterIal relations to the i'm
menseiy differentiated interests of society; if
it. hopes in addition to the care of the army
and the navy, to the protection of the border,
to the collection of revenues, to look after ed
ucati0n, build colleges, foster science, encour-
age art, adjust the interests of a thousand
trades, regulate telegraphs; railways and steam
boats it will in time become not; only, over
whelmed with details but its relations to all
these interests wifi iead 10 tie organization of
powerful .eiqdes,e looking to its manipulation.
Already the tpower of the lobby is immense;
it is almost our master now, and soon will rule
the country despotically and resistlessly."
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