The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-12-12
"THE SINEWS OF WAR;"
From tie Nen York Tribune.

From tie Neu York Tribune.
Our politics will be less corrupt when
they become less costly. 1t takes entirely
too much money to get an office, even hon
estly. What are called the legitimate ex-
penses of campaign have grown to pro-
portions which are not legitimate, and
spread out in directions which are not re-
putabe The candidate is tapped on every
side. There are calcium lights and brass
bands to be paid for; clubs to be uniformed
and fed and whiskied; fireworks, lanterns,
banners, torches. and what not to be
bought; halls to he hired and speakers to
be fed; workers TO he supported and sala
rled: aud a thousand aud one other items
Of expense. This lavish outlay is. after
all, to poor purpose. There is indeed food
for satire III the spectacle of republican
government being chosen amid the below
ing of merccnary oratory, the lurid glare
of sky rockets and Roman candles, the I'M
certain Pickering of procession torches,
the blaze Of the lime light, and the cheers
OF the great unwashed and unwashabe-a
Chinese mode of warfare whose symbols
represent nothing and whose gongs and
drums brighten scarcely any one, least of
all the enemy. These displays are often
as Intellectual as they are wasteful. The
iHleliiStul, DlcO ClLIZcu passes tDeul
by i'll contempt. To him they convey no
assurance that the people who make them
are fitted to administer the government,
but merely evnce their intense desire to
get hold of it. And to the rabble which
cllases after them, they have no more sig
niicance than any other street show.
But there are worse things than frivolty
aud uselessness to be charged against this
system. This expenditure of money has
reached point which many do not discern.
Doubtless many a steady going citizen
would be aStoniShed to learn that his Mem
Der of Congress spent two, three, perhaps
four times years prospective salary to
gain the privilege of drawing it for twice
that length of time. A Member of the
present Congress, frankly asked 10y friend
what his canvass had cost him. as frankly
replied-"I should be ashamed to tell you"
Over in New Jersey the Democratic gossip
before election was that the Republicans
were likely to lose the day through the dis
affection of faction whose leader was run
for Governor some years ago, and bled, SO
said rumor, to an amount nearly double
the present salary of the President of the
United States, and this when there was no
hope of success. Not few men sit in the
House with the consciousness that they
paid $4,000, $4,000, 100000. or even
more, for the chairs beneath them, and
perhaps without any outlay for purposes
Intentionally corrupt. But in it's best phase,
this system breeds grave evils. 1t unset
ties honest industry and firmly settles
dishonest one. 1t POUNDS and perpetuates
a class of political subordinates who are
generally idle and always vicious, a race of
men against whose very existence society is
arrayed in self defence. From the ranks
Of this vocation, which has grown of late
years to the dignity of profession, are
recruited our aldermen and our school
trustees our amateur and sometimes our
regular criminals, our " bosses" and our
congressman. Some graduate at Wash
ington, some in Belgium, and some on
Blackwelfs Island. Besides calling these
men into being, political largess brings
other evils in its train. 1t debauches the
public conscience, and slowly dulls that
general sense of honor which detects at
once what is right and what is not right
1t wears away the simplicity that ought to
be characteristic of repubIicanism. Hon.
estly distributed, it is in principle and in
practice opposed to the spirit of our insti-
tutions. Dishonorably given, no American
citizen need be told what horrors of cor
ruption and hypocrisy it brings about, and
what shame and national reproach.
1t would be not little curious to see
how many votes a man would get who
should conduct "a campaign on something
Of the economical and straightforward plan
of the farmers in Iowa a year ago. The
sum of money they expended during the
whole canvass would have but coldly fur
nished forth small champagne supper in
regions where champagne is a power in
politics. A contest carried on solely by
means of postal cards and stamps, some
few kilograms. a hall hired for a few nights
and no whisky, pin wheels or nonsense
might exercise a good influence, if it did
not result in 4 majority. 1t is now too
late for any candidate to make the novel
venture; but, meanwhile, voters can incor-
porate this brief text in their political cate
chiSms for use in future campaigns
Watch the rival candidates with care,
and see if the one who is spending the
most money is not the one least worthy of
success.