The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-05-18
Auehy.
THEN and NOW.

Time was when men In Washington were honest
and were true,
And lived and labored daily for the good that
they could do;
They sought their country's welfare, self on the
altar laid
And in her struggles struggled too. and toiled,
and hoped and prayed,
And when they met in council, no breasta scheme
concealed.
Which would stain the cOuntry's honor, If by
chance 1t was revealed;
No member of the Cabinet then sold himself for
gold,
Defrauding needy soldiers for the wealth in which
he rolled,
No member of the Cabinet could then have robbed
the poor,
And clasped hand in fellowship within the
White House door:
For stern and stanCh integrity was guardian of
the place,
And no one dared to enter there who lacked an
honest face.
No leader of Whisky Ring could have found
protection there,
For conscience bore premium in the Presiden.
tial chair;
The hero of the White House In those old.fash.
ioned times
Never let a guilty man escape-all suffered for
their crimes.
But that was many years ago so distant does it
seem;
Now in the White House honest men are like a
vanished dream
selfseeking politicians, with greedy thirst for
gain,
Have climbed to many post of trust, their pur.
pose to attain
And shielded by their station, these men with
skillful hand
Reap harvests for their pockets; while they rob
and spoil the land;
They sCorn the countrys statutes, they are safe
beyond their reach,
And the law that's written on mems hearts they've
only learned in speech,
They know no God to guide them, love not their
native soil;
They see no beauty in the right no dignity in toll
Imbruted by their selfshness, what think you that
they care;
For the welfare of the people who were led to
place them there2
Oh who will save our country 0 where shall
help be found?
Have all the noble and the good been laid be.
meath the ground2
Oh who will steer us safely upon the storm tossed
wave?
We are rushing fast to ruin now, more hopeless
than the grave.
Oh ye who love your native land, and fain would
have 1t be
heritage of glory for the children of the free,
Throw party spirit overheard let fraternal love be
seen,
And go to work at Washington and sweep that
city clean
Nor leave the work unfinished, but purge it to its
core,
Determined that corruption shall cloud the land
no more
From North to South, from East to West then speed
you on your way,
And drag all hidden foulness to the undimmed
light of day
When this is done If you can find no men like
those of old,
Who love their country better than they love
themselves or gold;
If you can find no Washington, no Jefferson, no
Clay,
No Adams Jackson, Webster, among .our men TO-
day.
Then let week of fasting be held in every State,
And the people plead with God to save before it
is too late:
Plead that our Father raise us up God-fearing
men to guide,
Who in their ways acknowledge Him, and have
no God beside,
When these united prayers shall rise, as from
single voice,
Our God will hear us In our need will help us In
our choice,
And We'll prove to foreign nations who have seen
us brought so low,
We learned to suffer and to live one hundred
years ago.
TajdbfOu N Sam