Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-09-05

men l iNt -st IiA..lNlH fiAl y ANA --.-
been IN every party Do this and every oi9er
country. no sensible man VIII deny W llic
huwan nature continues ial.ible and I'M
perfect there viii be wcakues- and c1rrup-
non among the members of every human OF
canizau0n. Even in this good old county
Of Athens son can scarce find couEreEa-
ton which does not contain one or more
black sheep.
Those who charge and believe in uniyer-
sal corruption are themselves most likely o.
be corrupt. for out oi the abundance OF
the heart the mouth speake1h and
when We hear a hrawling demarogue on
the stump deuounciuG Republican officials
as generally corrupt. the chances are that
man Will he a thief the first opportunity
IMPROVED MORALS IN POLITICS
The standard of public morals is to-day
higher In this country than Il has ever been
before. OF this am satisaei from some
what careful reading of the history OF our
country for the last one hundred years >
far from the public morals having been de-
hauchei and deteri0rated durlnr the twelve
wears of Republican rule. notwithstanding
the war with all is consequences and de
m0rallzlti0ns. they have been greatly eie-
waited and improved. Let II be understood
that the investigation O! the Credit Mohn-
Ter and all Others thai have taken place,
were ordered bv q Republican House and
Senate. upon the motion and al the Instance
OF Republican members
Il l. not that Congress j. more corrupt
than formerly. for In my judgment it j. les,
50 ; but II Is that public opinion demands a
higher standard OF recIirude on the part %
public men than was ever before ezacted.
Let il be said of the Republican party a. q
matter of simple Justice that this great pro-
gress has been under It's domination.
C0NGREssMEN GROWING BETTER.
There has been les intemperauce in tho
last Congress than in any one that ever be-
fore assembled in the capitol. In that re-
spect there has been o marked improvement
in the last ten years. A. 10 gambling
know not OF q single Senator who il now
charged rs q gambler whereas. We Wei
remember that in former times some of those
who stood first in the ranks of party and
rated highest for intellectual ability were
known a. gamblers. who spent many OF
their nights and even days at the gambling
table.
There have been one OF two fragrant cases
OF bribery IN senatorial elections; but upon
these the seal of general condemnation ha,
been set SO deeply-burnt IN. as il were
with iron. and public attention has been SD
profoundly awakened 10 the enormIty of the
crime that We cannot doubt that upon thI-
subject public morals and those of delibera-
i've bodies have been elevated and adyauc
ed
EErUGLIcAN ADMINISTRATIONS
It was once said by a distinguished states
man that no danger was 70 be apprChendel
from error as long a. truth j. left free to
combat III. Il may be SAID that no danger
Is 10 be auprehended from corruption a.
long a. political parties are free and prompt
IN IT, Investigation and punishment.
While human nature remains weak and
iallIbie. a~ il now j.. there viii De corrup-
iiOn~ and shortcomings. but while there j.
public virtue 10 drag the offenders 10 light.
the patriotic need not be alarmed for the
country. We claim that the Republican
party has been pre-eminently distinguished
FOR itS ~cli-mveStirati0n and publication
that when it has found an unworthy mem
her It has not failed L. drag him before The
public gaze and cast him out, The Demo
cratic party of other time was never d.
tinguished for this virtue. and long before
II passed from power had become utterly In
capable Of IT. exercise.
That virtue is IT. Own reward Is as true iu
politics ~ In any other sphere iu life. That
honesty L. the best policy Is as true for par
ties a. for individuals. and ! viii tell y0u O
little secret. which the Democratic party lu
the DAYS OF liz power never discovered. and
! fear never viii. and that l.. that the be-,
way for party u maintain its ascendency
and Keep the power l. % diligently and IN
exorably investigate It's own condition and
purge itself of all ra-cal- and rascalitv when
discovered. Instead of covering up the
delinquencies of IT. own official members.
be the first o. drag them to light and punish
ment. The Republican party cannot keep
all rascais out 0i as ranks. OF out OF office.
hut 1t can expose and punish them.
The Republican party has shown from
time to time that il knows how 10 break IT,
own idols Ne man in il Is SO high as % De
above the most severe and searching investi-
CATION, and If found wanting In integrity j.
at once put aside. however long and distin-
guished may have been bis services
And viii Just say here To those who
have the leisure and opportunity to review
the political literature of the last seventy
years that they viii find that under every
administration the opposition 10 that adj
corrupt than any that had gone before. and
that tie period was one of general official
profgacy which unless it was checked bv
turning the Others out and putting them in,
would result IN the rain of the country
INQUIRY INTO RAILROAD ABUSES.
\ special committee was appointed az the
last session of the Senate. invested with
ample powers to examine and report upon
the subject Of transportation. The needs Of
increased means of transportation. the
abuses and exJorti0ns pracused by railroad
companies and the remedies l0r these needs
and abuses. are within the direct scOpe Of
the inquiry which this committee Is in
structed to make. Il mas been II session at
various points since the adjournment Of
Congress, and an exhaustive and elaborate
report may be looked Tor at the next session.
DUTIES OF RAILROADS.
That railroads arc public highways has
been recently decided by tine Supreme Court
OF the United States, and j. no longer an
open question. That railroad companies
are common carriers. rs the Office of com
mon carrier Is defined by the common law
Is 80 well settled that the statement need
not be reinforced by authorities. The
rights and liabilities Of a common carrier
are well settled by the common law. The
common carrier must carry for al persons.
without distinction upon the same terms
lie must provide sufficient and convenient
methods OF transportation. He must not
make unjust determinations in the exercise
Of ms ONCE. and must carry passengers and
freight Tor reasonable compensation For
the breach OF any OF these duties the com
mon law has always provided remedies. and
il the breach complained of l. extortiun the
question Is 10 he settled by a court and Jury
"a 10 what would be a reasonable rate under
az the circumstances IN that particular
case There are great dIifrultie. in the
way Of private persons asserting their rights
al common law against these great
corporations. and C0ngress in the one
case or the State Legislatures in the
eiher may he able 10 provide ad-
dltlunal facilities for enahling uri-
Nate persons 10 ascertain and enforce
iheif rights against railroad companies as
common carriers, and may also provide
punlshments against officers of rornora tions
VINO nave been clearly shown bv the ev;-
oenee TO have been guilty of ext6rtion
nave thrown out these Suggestions. lr.
shall not now, IN advance al .ba -.
oil the Committee. attempt ~ e,,,,,,st
slecihc remedies Tor evils that are under
going investigation
WHY DEMOCRATS COURT TuF op,,o,.
In the New York World. the leasinr
Demoeratle paper, Of the 18th instant :
an elaoorate editorial declaring thar The
farmers movement can never grow TO the
necessarily fall into one Of the Other res1
and suggesting methods by which the ner NC
cratic party can capture it. | ono,e ~,
concluding paragraph. '"'
INF cniel value Of the Farmers movemen, en-,
fk 10 IL se!enry a. slniegru,ipg :cres y IN -,