Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1875-06-05
[>prin@tirIi MAS RrPub!Iran.l
Crooked Whisky and Crooked
Politics.

The American people are Indebted
TO Mr.. BriStOw, among other things,
FOR 4 fresh glimpse into the interior of
THE best civil service in the word,
ride Senator Morton'S speech at
It. Louis,-and fresh Illustration Of
the present state of official morals in
those higher political circles where
'coctrinlrcs' like Carl SchurZ and
Charles Francis Adams are held in
such deserved contempt. When the
history Gf this campaign against the
Risky ring comes 10 be written up,
it will bc found a worry curious chap
ter OF modern American admini-tra-
lion and politics. We have already
two facts TO be noted and remember
ed. First, that the new secretary of
the treasury found the revcnuc service
OF the government 50 rotten with cor
ruption that he not only had to 90
outside Of it for help in fcrrctting cut
the frauds, but to scGulously conceal
bis operations from the knowledge Of
its members Second, that the aSSail-
ed ring, though taken by surprise.
has already been able to bring such
Influences and such "prcssure"
to bear at Washington that it is an
open question whether secretary or
ring will prove the stronger.
1t Is To he presumed that the
secretary, being a clear headed man
and an old campaigncr, discounted
all this before setting out. \ weaker
man might we'll be appalled, |: it
We're only the whisky ring. it would
be anothe. affair. Even in that case,
the reforming cabinet officer would
have bis hands fall. That ring
represents great ''plant;n it is able
to spend large sums upon occasion !;
1t kuoN : Just where to put its money
in order THAT it may do the most good ::
it has laid influential politicians under
weighty personal obligations; it is a
power in the land But the whisky
ring is not left to fight its battle single
handed. All the rings make common
cause against the common enemy. 1t
is striking illustration Of the solidari-
ty Of corruption. ct is the " whisky
rings turn, to-day. 1t may be ours,
tomorrow. Obsia prtHcipiiS-we
must stop this thing before it goes
any further" So the word Is passed
along the whole line.
1t is suggestive, not to say instruc-
tive, to note how promptly the practi-
cal politicians respond to it. If
senator's and representatives of the
United States were so many puppets
operated by wire they could not
jump more nimbly. 1t is probable
that our Washington correspondent
has rather understated than overstated
the number Of these public servants
at this moment engaged, more or less
actively, more or less openly. in a
concerted and systematic effort to
thwart another public servant in his
endeavors to collect the public revenue
and bring the rascals who have de.
frauded it to justice.
Of these senators and congressman,
engaged in this laudable enterprise,
the great majority have probably
never handled dollar of the whisky
rings money. But they are under
obligations to that or some allied ring
for friendly Offices in past elections,
and there are other elections TO come.
They have found the agencies and
instruments of corruption very useful
in the district and at the state capitol
They prefer to maintain friendly
relations with a mammon Of upright
eouSness that is so serviceabIe and
obliging. Besides, they are practical
men, who take facts as they find
them. The organized corruption is
fact. 1t is part, and very i'm
partant part, Of the system of Ameri-
caA politics. 1t is all well enough to
talk about reform in the resolutions
and even to make a show of it in
practice. But to make war upon the
rings in dead earnest, as this Ken
lucky fellow wants to do, is to drive
them over to the democracy-money,
votes and all. The republican party
can't afford any such costly folly as
that. Practical men, who have the
party's welfare at heart, can't be
expected to sit quietly by and allow it
to be committed.
Luckily for Mr.. Bristow. luckily
tor The country, there are several
millions of voters who are not mort.
gagged to the rings, and who are not
OF the same way of thinking as these
practical gentlemen.