Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-03-06
How may our Polite. lie Purified |,

The corruption Of American politics is n
matter about which great deal is said
now days. We read of it in every news
paper we hear ii descanted upon from ev-
cry pulpit and platform. II we may judge
by the general tone of the public press, and
the comments made by almost everybody,
we as people arc in danger of sing our
liberties, and Of sharing the fate which has
overtaken so many Of the powerful nations
of antiquity, through the corruption which
is creeping into our political and social life.
1t is, however, chiefly through the venality
and INSCRIPTIONS ambition of our political
leaders, we are told, that our immediate
peril lies. While the masses, it Is said,
still retain, in great measure, the purity
and integrity of character which marked
our foreiathors in the early days of the re-
public, our office-holders and political lead
ers-the men whom we TO day entrust with
the making Of our laws and the care OF our
public interests-are proverbally men of
no character-selfish, grasping, schemng
men, whose only aim is personal advance
ment or pecu MARY reward.
Let us consider for a moment whether
these charges are correct. Saying nothing
of the past, are the Office holders and rul-
ers of the country, in point of patriotism,
of principle, of genuine moral integrity, so
far below the average of the masses they
represent, and by whom they are elected?
If so, it well becomes US TO enquire the
cause.
In the first place, Gus obscI ,atiOn leads
4.
much overdrawn. The average character
of our Office holders-state and national
is not so low and dishonorable rs the pop
ular tone of criticism would seem 10 i'm
ply neither is the public sentiment OF the
day so elevated in its tone and so unerring
in its direction as to give reality to the say
ing that "the voice ofthe,people is the voice
of God" Still the fact cannot be denied or
overlooked, that there is lamentablo fail
ure on the part Of the people 10 put the best
men in Office.
Now ii is plain matter of fact that we
all want the best men 10 hold our offices OF
trust and honor. There isn't a voter in the
land personal friends and hangers on of
individual aspirants of course excepted),
who doesn't desire this. However lacking
in education or in moral principle man
may be, he wants for his rulers men in
whose wisdom and integrity he can rely.
How is it. then, that the men who are chos-
en- to fill our highest and most responsible
offices are, so oilen, persons devoid of all
neutrality-suspicious. of the public mon
ey, corruptionists, self-seeking adventur-
ers2 What is the explanation of this phe-
homenon, and where the remedy2
Two explanations are readily at hand.
First, candidates for high public office are
usually selected with reference to their
availability and strength as party leaders,
rather than for their personal integrity or fit
ness. Second, their selection is not made,
primarily, by the people, but is usually
the work of wlre-pullers aud cliques, who
are allowed to control the party caucuses
and nominating conventions. The one
fact plainly follows as consequent
of the other. 1t behooves us, then, to en-
qulre whether there is any practical RENE.
dy to be found for this evil2 That it is be-
yond our reach, 1t would be folly-nay,
death-to admit. To assert this would be
to proclaim the inherent rottenness of our
political fabric and the speedy downfall of
the nation. There is-there must be-a
remedy adequate to the emergency and
he is the statesman for the hour who shall
point it out and lead the way to its adop-
ton.