, 1876-06-03
ANOTHER MORAL INDICTMENT.

QoleAtcu Dec0uso OF tno very lehSou WHICH
should havo caused lliB nomination.
ANOTHER MORAL INDICTMENT.
Great and obvious truths that have been
permitted to pass out OF mind are often rem
dcred notably impressive when recalled in
some sudden and unexpected manner, aud
applied to condition of things in which
ttoro is vivid interest 1t is for this reason
that tho most striking reflection contained in
the report Of the lato Grand Jury occurs in
tho following paragraph:
We have had tho fact painfully impressed on uB
tint, In Its dclltngt as q corporation, Municipal
Government Ii at great disadvantage. In all tho
ordinary contracts between men mud corporations,
each party has Ron!e to represent 1t, to guard
a interests. protect Its rights. and to aecurc to It
comunn justice. Tho railroad or Other private
corporation In all !t~ dealings has the protection
furnished! by the vigilance Of managers personally
ull pccnnarlly interested! In the corporation Tho
municipal corporation has 10 such defense. It
docs not lack officers In number cquni to any res.
vice. Its rataryllst and roll grow tucessantly.
II has I'M nticer for every duty, and dulles arc
created that new n!accs may be provided I}ut ~
rule the ofleoA Aoldcr does not consider 1t to be his
duty to protect his employer. 1oo often he adopts
The idea and acts Upon Il, that tic principal func
tIon of Government Ia 10 provide Offices for men mn
nbe otherwise to earn living. The evil theory
doeH not stop here. 1t includes tho argument thst
office Ii an opportunity, and that no nun should
neglect hs opportunities. In tho course Of In
scstlgationn we hay0 found yast number of rce-
eon. drawing liberal salnries and allowances from
the public, employed In nll manner OF places OF
trust, mud we hayc found but few who have be-
traycd any consciousness TINT they owe tho least
duty OF patriotism to tho comfy, and wo regret to
say that We have found many whose notions Ut OIL.
ciai duty limited BY thcls opportunities to ell
rich themselves at tho public exponsc.
Herein is Buccinctly and foscibly stated a
great and important truth, which no ono
will be found to deny, but which oil mon
are in tho hahit OF ignoring aa if by conf
mon consent. AL tho abuses and plundcr
practiced upon tho people in their govern
mental c9paci.y arc duo to tho growth Of the
idea TINT public corporations aro grand elec-
mosynary institutions for tho support of
men WHO cannot mako as good living in
private business, md Breat machines for
turning ont plunder to rings, cliques, and
combinations. 1t is for tho tolerance Of .this
notion tbat tho people themselves are to
blame, They have permitted it to obtain
iAlA1ak AA4AFEA9iA4 4CCOt5A1t4JA 4AGf uMFG
sanctioned it by concealmont and condono.
ment for party purposes. They have en-
couraged the Courts to sustain it by
all thu forms and tcchnicalitics of
law. They havo submitted 10 long that
resistance secms almost out OF tho
question, and lucal Government has como
10 be little else than magnificent oppor-
tunity for plunder, tolerated and excused be-
cause nobody in particular has beon robbed.
Municipal Government ought really bo moth
ing moro. than comprehensive police power,
to which IL dolegntctl tho protection OF lifo
and property, the abatement of public
nuisauccs and thu performance of thoRo
things necessary for tho public good which
individuals cannot do for themselves. In-
stead Of this itlon prevailing, Which nccos-
aarily makes tho public oi1lcia1a subordinate
and limits their authority, tho otiicc-holdera
laye become 50 numerous and powerful q
class "a to subordinate the whole people to
their purposes, antl to use tho public purse
as their own. Public Office Ia now generally
regarded by the professional ottlce-Aoldors
md oiace-scokcrs Oh monopoly, carrying
WILL ~ ti1o EOHG4} hA44 A4EIEu tAt ljk1FllEkHu
Of appropriating as much of tho public
money for thoir own use and that OF their
friends As tho RESOURCES Of the people eau
possibly 10 made to yield It ia all con.
sumption and no production,-an ox-
travaSant wasta Of tho substance OF tho
people without any return.
Tho Into Grand Juy has demonstrated in
thn tnoaf fcn1 and nnoo{u,1 xrn.,.,n~
this notion has been applied IN tho County
Government Tho external evidence OF ita
prevalence III tho City Government is equally
convincing 1t IL matter Of almost common
notoriosy that tho city corporation l1us been
used for several yeara to support hundreds Ut
men who wuro nat nueded, to conceive con-
| tracta and bring forth jobs for the exclusive
bonodt of the ta1.cators, aud in the aggregate
to squander and lnisappropziate ut least
$l.6Oo, 600 annually more than the nocess-
tics and welfare Of tho people demand. Whom
this scheme Of plundor l1atl gone OH 80 long
that peoplo could no longer afford to pay
their taxes, aud the credit Of tho city was
ruined by tho accumulation Of au ilcgul
aobt, tho oillce.holdcrs still persisted iu
holding their places and continuing
their plumber iu spito of tho popula,
protest ut the polls. And now they
have applied to the Courts to rein.
atato them. Tho suit has been brought in
the un1no OF ono CoLyls, who claims the
office Of Mayor, but it is really brought in
behalf Of tho entiro horde OF tax-saters, con.
tractors. and hangors-on, who hayo been con.
suninu uaarlv ~ flDU ono annually over md