Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-05-22
THE SOURCE OF CORRUPTION.

State, National, or local, are
better fitted to grace n felon's cell than 10 |
hold positions of responsibility and trust.
And, after making due allowance for the
to which partisan journalism
will 60 in decrying the merits and mag
flying the faults Of political opponents, it
is a grave fact, that official position is too
often used without that strict regard for
the duties incumbent upon it which is
expected and accorded in the business re-
lations of individuals. 1t has passed into
an adage possessing more significance
than we care to admit, that if you elect
an honest man 70 office you make a rogue
of him. What contrast to the early
days Of the Republic-when men declin-
ed the highest position from fear of un-
worthiness and such a thing as breach
of the public trust was unknown.
But every evil has its fountain head,
and before radical cure can be effected
the source Of its origin must be discover
ed. The crime of official dishonesty has
its origin in the changed condition Of
politics and political ethics. Within a
quarter of a century the state Of national
affairs has been such as to attach men to
party, and they succeeded in schooling
themselves into the belief that it was bet
ter to bear patiently the minor evils of
their own party rule, rather than encour-
age triumph Of their opponents. Party
feeling ran high, and the triumph ofprin-
ciple was deemed of too great importance
to admit of any detection from the party,
| because it was known that some who had
wormed themselves into power were US
ing their places To feather their own
nests. Added to this was the feeling of
distrust with which the opposite party
was viewed; the prospect of relief in
that quarter appeared equally hopeless.
In this state of feeling the men who made
politics profession soon came into abso-
Lutte control, and so long as a nomination
was deemed equivalent to an election the
wire workers of politics could have every
thing their own way.
To succeed in this, however, required
free use of money. Money was used to
carry primary. elections money was
used to control conventions and when q
nomination to fat" Office was secur-
cd, money and promises were used law
ishly until the polls were closed. 1t soon
became apparent that the expenses at
tendant upon obtaining Office in many
cases, were much greater than the legiti-
mate fees Of the Office would amount to
for its whole term. And it was equally
obvious that there must be some source
from which these electioneering expenses
we're made up, for those who obtained
Office at great cost not oEly came out
with whole skins, but were ready to in
trigue for second and third term at the
same cost. The fact can be stated in a
very few words-the people winked at
knavery. And just so long as the pres
ent system of electioneering is sane
toned by the voting public we may ex-
pect to hear of official corruption. There
are some expenses attending an election
which are legitimate enough, such as the
assessments levied to pay printing and
other necessary bills, but the sooner any
community learns that candidate should
not be expected to spend money freely
treating" those who, perhaps do moi
desire and who would certainly be better
off without il the sooner we may expect
that class of men to seek public position
whom we are certain would adorn it,
As the case now stands, no man Of strict
temperance principles has any business
before the people rs a candidate. If nom
mated he is expected to "show himself
to those whose support he desires and il
he takes trip through his county, ol
{ district, he is expected to do as others do
or appear singular. The system of elec
tioneering which has obtained in thi
State is one peculiar to its mode of life
1t is IA system which is followed solel,
because custom seems to require it-dis
tasteful to many candidates and equal,
SO to the better class Of voters.
Another ilegitimatc cost Of canvas
| is the number of fellows who are "pieced'
{ to keep them straight. 1t is diff
cult matter for candidate for lucra
, tive office to decline placing a round sun
in the hands of some person of "inhu
ence" when assured it will do him som
good" while the small ''Ipiece men" ar
legion. Impecunious voters frequentl
make an election matter Of personal in
terest in that way. If candidates woul
come to an understanding to shut off al
such sharking it would be better for then
$ and for the public. 1t can be done if al
interested will unite and in view of tn
5 recent astounding developments of Off
cial knavery, candidates should take tn
initiative in this first step toward reform
, The " eleotioneerng expenses" Of Mr.
Rosener have been paid by the people o
the State-not by the taxpayers Of Sal
Francisco only. In the reduced assess
ments which we're purchased by the ma
r bobs of that city, the people of the entir
I State were wronged. The bank officer
q looked upon the matter as purely one {
business, and contributed the sums aske
! of them without murmur. But tn
I people are not disposed to so regard il
and seek to know the reason of such cor
ruptiQn in office. Its source can be foun
in the laxity with which the customs no,
in vogue to obtain office are viewed
, which bars good men from the field an
brings politicians and place hunters 70 tn
t front.