The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-05-06
RICHMOND,
old 80 much of the efforts to punish

void so much of the efforts to punish
the offenders?
Principles, not men, has been one
of our political ma xims that has been
regarded sound, but it is better and
safer to change and widen its applica-
ton. by enlarging its terms to ''princi-
pies aud men"
If the grand juries. whose business
it is to inquire into violation of law by
the whisky sellers, are selected at the
dIctation OF the tap room. If the Pros
ecuting Attorney knows that he holds
his position by the votes and infiu-
ence of the saloon keeper, if the j udge
on the bench feels that the whisky
power will retire him from Office at
the next election if he brings the law
breaking vendor of intoxicating drinks
to justice, and inficts upon him the
penalties that his repeated crimes de
mand, then. indeed, the law is worth
less, and nothing has been accomplish
ed by its enactment.
That this state of things has existed
in many places and exists now. especi-
ally in our larger towns and cities, will
not be denied.
The cause for it is not that the evil
power in and of itself can control the
majority of men; but by vigilance and
ceaseless activity it manages too often
to control political parties, and then
the party prejudice and political pref
erence are Iut in requisition to COM
plete the work.
Mere political managers-men who
have no higher conception OF the mis-
sion of political party than its abili-
ty to gather up sufficient numbers to
defeat the opposing party and control
the patronage this fact and
govern their actions accordingly.
They know they can not by any sort
of vigorous party lashing bring the
support of the whisky dealer and the
few that he can control to either the
support of temperance men or tenn
peranee principles: His self-interest
is stronger than his party ties; there
gramme is arranged in accord with
the wishes of the stubborn whisky
seller, and the party lash is applied to
the back of the timid and yielding
Christian, and the amiable and oblig-
ing good moral citizen. In most cases
the good citizens must submit, sustain
the party, and let the country take
care of itself Iwould not give farth-
ing for any civil service reform that
does not go to the very bottom, and
reform the people themselves.
If we want competent legislators
and good laws; if we desire that the
peoples money shall not he squander-
ed by prodigality, and our National
reputation be untarnished by the de-
falcation of public officers, or the for
nation of corrupt rings to deplete and
rob the public Treasury, then we
must see to it that such men are not
elected.
The miserable pot house politicians
collect their support from the slums
and other dens of iniquity, and make
their combinations; and while the
good citizen is attending to his own
private affairs, careless of the coun-
try's welfare, he suddenly finds that,
If he votes at all at the polls, he must
take his choice of candidates from
men nominated by and from the ruff
fianly element.
He votes to thus place asacred pub
lie trust in the hands of men in whom
he would not confide the smallest pri-
vate interest.
l grant that in the rural districts
and in the smaller towns, this evil is
not SO great, but it prevails to an
alarming extent in our cities.
Look at the scene in Chicago the
other day. A committee of one hun
dred of the best women of that city
went to the City Council with the Pc
tition of 5000 citizens, praying that
the ordinance against the sale of in
toxicating liquors on the Sabbath
might not be repealed.
This noble band were subjected to
the erossest insults on their way to
the Council chamber, and on their
return from thence a scene of riot and
rowdyism occurred that disgraced not
only that city, but the whole nation,
and the age in which We live, 1t is
thus described by the Chicago Times,
one Of the leading journals Of that
city:
THE onset of bowling mob of ruff
fans upon a committee of respectable
ladies that visited the Council cham
Der, last Monday night, to demonstrate
against the repeal of the Sunday tip.
pling law, can not be characterized in
the terms of condemnation it deserves.
1t was the most vile and disgraceful
demonstration of the spirit of ruffian-
ism ever witnessed in this city. Prob
ably not another city in any civilized
country on the globe has ever witness
ed, in time of peace, performance SO
unspeakably brutal An invading
army of barbarians, licensed to COM
init any manner of outlawry, could
hardly have exhibited toward body
of decent and we'll behaved women
a more disgusting temper of diabol-
ism
1T was the out spew of the slums
-
the grand army of pimps, loafers,
blacklegs thieves and drunken roughs,
marshaled to defend scoundrelism and
indecency, against the protest of vir-
tue. The ruffianly conduct of the
performers was certainly worthy of
their thoroughly brutalized nature"
In Cincinnati and other cities the
same spirit has openly defed the law
and the rules of decency and good or
der.
The question at once suggests itself:
Where were the good men of these
cities at such times? Where were
they when these ruffians organized
the convention and caucuses, and put
these creatures of their own kind into
the Council Chamber to tramp the
Christian Sabbath under their feet
and open all the dens of iniquity, to
corrupt and destroy the peace and
good government of the city?
Why do Christian women have to
appeal to the tender mercies of the
wicked for protection But one an
swer can be given The good men