New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-06
lead rs NOT INTO TEMPTATION

Once in a while a political Convention,
quite frequently the newspapers, and contin-
uaIly the simple minded people who call
themselves 4" the Masses cropping for way
out of corrupt politics, personal governments,
and Ring rule, cry out 4" Eureka" with the
philosopher over the discovery that the abso-
lutey certain remedy, the sure escape, Is In
Collecting honest men to Office" And how
simple it seems 1t saves complicated pro-
cesses of thought; eliminates from the prob
lem all the difficult factors, and offers as
pretty and simple an equation as ever re-
solved itself. The way to have pure politics
and honest administration is to put down bad
men, and elect only honest men to office.
Could anything be simpler 1t is as short
easy, and comprehensive as the method OF
getting rid Of sin, disease, and death by
beginning over again." without eating
apples 1t goes upon the assumption that
honest men are "thick as hucklebeu1es;"
that they carry the badge of honesty on their
foreheads, so that anybody can pick them out
anywhere, and that the man who was honest
Yesterday, and is honest to-day, is certain to
be so tomorrow and always. 1t assumes than
honesty is an innate quality, ingrained In
character from birth, and that no temptation
can undermine its foundations or carry it by
strong assault. And it leaves out of the ac-
count entirely the frailty of human nature ut
its very best, the universally OF temptation,
and the infinitely varied and subtle forms OF
its approach.
No, that isn't the remedy; that Is not the
way of escape. Honest men are not so com
mon in public life that we can lay our hands
thpm
positIons of trust; nor is there any mortal
man so honest that we can afford to let the
devil take him up into high mountain and
offer him Credit Mobilier stock or back pay.
1t is a part of the duty of the citizen to take
care that honest men are chosen to Office, but
it is a far greater part of his duty, vastei
responsibility, to remove temptation from him
and surround him on every hand with
checks, restraints, and guards. And
that is the work and the wisdom of
craftsmanship; the aim of broad and
catholic philanthropy, the philosophy Of
political morals for to-day and tomorrow,
and always-as it has been always-not merely
to find honest men to make the laws and adj
minister the government but to have such
laws and such methods of administration as
shall make and keep men honest, or at least
not thrust them into temptation with handi-
capped conscience and blurred moral sense.
Talk about electing honest men to Office!
Think moment what it means to elect a
man to any office. Look over the way of the
candidate, no matter who or how honest, from
caucus to pols-the associations he must
have, the suggestions he must listen 10.
the insidious approaches TO which no
cannot help being Exposed. No man comes
into public life to-day-and we are saying
only what any candid, thoughtful man viii
assent to after a moments refection-nO man
comes into public life without some faint upon
his garments of the road by which he came.
some loss of self-respect some compromise
of his personal honor, by having consented to
evasions, concealments, or some form of do
ception, or by having winked at some phase
of corruption, bribery, or fraud. There is
scarcely in the Senate or House of RepreSen-
tatiyes to-day one man who oan conscion
tiously stand up and say no reached his scat
absolutely unsOilcd and pare.
W ii 1t welo Al o..sJ mattor " TILL tho