The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-04-02
The Hinge Tumor of Corruption.

, The Hinge Tumor Of Corruption
We copy as follows from an editoria
on this subject in the Chicago Tribune
of the 14th ult:
The elections that will take place be-
fore the next December will exert re.
straining influence, doubtless, if they
result. like the elections just held in
New Hampshire, in serious Radical
losses; and the restraint will he some.
what in proportion to the certainty
that the losses arise from the popula,
condemnation Of Credit Mol,ilism and
Congressional rascality generally. BIT
there Is no permanent cnre for the cor
rnpt'on tnmor short of the total aban.
d"nment of pa:ernalism. As long as
the doctrine of paternalism is accepted
IN Congress and out, paternaIism will
he practiced and as long as it is prac.
t'ced, there will be strong temptations
to give and take brides; and as long as
The temptations exist, they will prove
too much for the Integrity of the aver
age Congressman. There is no safety
short of the total prohibition of ali
Congressional grants of lands, subsi-
sidies, banking and other valuable
franchise, and, most of all, protective
ant'es. Nothing has done more to de-
oanch the consciences of our public
men than this business of voting aid to
various industries in the form of pro.
tectlve taxes. When men have come
TO regard it as perfectly proper fo,
them to vote tariff aid to branches of
business IN which they are pecuniarly
Interested, it can hardly be expected
t''at they will see anything very wrong
In voting other kinds of aid to indus
'rles in which they are so interested,
or even in taking pay for voting aid to
schemes in which they arc not inter
ested, provided they Can persuade them
selves that those schemes are for tie
general good.
1t is not apparent how the tempta-
ton and corruption can be permanent
ny removed except by constitutional
prohibition of all grants, direct and in
direct, in the form of duties on i'm
ports or in any other form, in aid of
industries of any kind, and by strict
Ier constitutional definition of the
sphere and functions of the General
government. 1t will be necessary to
collect large revenue for long time
TO come on account of the public debt.
ana the revenue requirements for ori-
nary purposes will be constantly in.
creaslns for an indefinite period in con
sequence of the growth of the country
IN population and wealth, and prota-
bly, in area. With abundant and in
creasing revenues. and il large surplus
constantly on baud, the curidity of
gentlemen who have schemes for max
ing every hody rich and happy by tx
pensiing only few millions from the
public treasury, will be constantly ex.
cited, and the temptation to accep. =
share III the benefits of these schemes
VIII he forever present tn the minds of
Congressman. These temptations. it
would seem, must inevitably grow
stranger and stronger from year to
49, ~" oho 'S'VDho pbhIS III more
freely, and il may be questioned wl,e,h-
Ell there is any way oi removing them,
short OF an amendment to the Cops,i-
tuition fnrbiddins Congress to entertain
any scheme whatever tor promoting
popular education, or fostering indus |
tries, or restoring commerce, or any
thing of the sort. 1t may lie said, in.
deed, that when the people become
enlightened to adopt such
all amendment, they will be sufficient.
~ enlightened not to need it. But this
is not necessarily true. The enli,ht.
eminent OF the people dues not neces
'arily involve the publication of Con.
gress, and if it did, it might still lie /
doubted whether the people could be
sufficiently enlightened without being
called upon to accept. some such def
mite and radical proposition. 1t is at
least certain that no thorough reform
can he expected without virtual
amendment to the Constitution by the
full and general acceptance of the on.
posite of the pat-rnal policy, as tile
paternal policy of the country.
FS u-rmo,,'s ix,+o,r,;,,,4:,. !