Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-03-19
CLARIFIED, Pa, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 49, 1879
EMORALIZA T1ON OFSOCIETY

DEN MORALlZAT TION OFSOCIETY
No one can dispute the fearful de.
moralization of society, when from day
to day such sad revelations Of its DIS
honesty are made, Crime has ceased
to be odious or repulsive. There was
time when the discovery of dishon.
est juror would have astonished the
community, when the purchase of a
grand jury would have so alarmed men
that the iniquity would have been sum.
marily punished. Such things are now
not exceptional, but common jurors
seek appointments for the emoluments
OF the office and their appointment is
a matter of patronage, distributed with
or without consideration. Defalca-
ticns in public offices and in private in
stitutions have become so common that
they no longer attract any moro at
tention than changes in the weather.
Society has reached point that il is
appalled, at nothing. Infidelity in all
the relations of life, in the family, in
business, in all commercial and finan-
cial transactions, results in no social
exclusions. The fact Of being rich is
sufficient, and no inquiries are made as
TO how that wealth was obtained,
After the long and protracted wars
of Europe at the beginning of the pres.
ent century, England was stricken
with the moral palsy which now pre-
walls in this country. The same cor
ruption Of private and public morals
existed. Society was rotten to the
center Offices were bought and sold I;
the wealth accumulated in the wars
had demoralized all ranks in life and
conspicuous among the criminals OF
that day, was the brother Of the King.
who through his mistress, sold commits
sions and contracts. The struggle was
long one. Paper money had added
Its corrupting influence to the evil
times. At last, through the resump-
ton OF specie payments and the desc
lation of panic, the moral intelligence
of the nation recovered its supremacy.
The dishonest were dismissed, abuses
we're discountenanced and prevented,
corruption and the means Of corruption
were eradicated, and long string Of
sinecures was abolished. Parliament
was reorganized, representation was
reformed, and host of rotten bor-
oughs were abolished. Gradually the
moral improvement extened to trade,
to the administration of the laws, and
to all the affairs of Government, ma
tional as well as local. The improve.
ment IN public and private morals
brought enlightenment in political mat
ters. The exclusive policy of trade
was abandoned, and England became
the storehouse of the surplus products
of all nations, and the banker and com.
mercial agent of the words commerce.
Her wealth has grown with her intel
ligence, and she has reached that point
OF prosperity where her people are
only taxed on their vices.
As with England, so with the Uni
ted States, the correction Of the exist.
ing evils must come from within. So
ciety must reform ITSELF Men must
draw line between crime and honesty,
and act on it. Honesty must be ap-
preciated, and, il possible, made fash
ionable. "Fast" people, and "fast" liv-
ing, and "fast" morality must be dis
countcnanced. lmpeached integrity,
/ IN, bat har IL, m, nm or uamap fnuat Qaoaa
to be regarded as entitled to an in
creased interest and favor from the
society in which it appears. Personal
extravaganza must be visited with loss
of commercial credit, and reckless ex-
penditure must be accepted as the GER
tain prelude to moral and financial
ruin. The defaulter and the corrupt
official must be placed by society in
their proper places as criminals. Cor
ruption and bribe-taking must rank
with all other forms of stealing. The
public service must be reorganizsd
Personal integrity and capacity must
be substituted Tor party service as the
concentrations for Office and as the
tenure Of office. The tide of socia
destruction must be arrested, and this
work must begin with tho people and
be carried out by the people. The cor
ruption which has cropped out in The
national service is but keeping with
that which rules IN oil local govern
ments and extenis through all thu
ramifications Of business and society.
: The Church, if its energies would b'
SO directed, would be powerful agen
in this work of regeneration. But w
I. doubt if the Church has been true t
its duty. 1t looks as though wealtl
has acquired some power in the church
es, and that those who can pay thu
highest price were entitled to the high
or seat. Does not the fact that an in
ability Of dressing less expensively
than others, keeps many away iron
the sanctuary where SO much display
} and extravaganza appears 2
} II the people do not possess sullicien
virtue to enter into this work of socia
} and political regeneration, we must g
on from bad TO worse, then indeed I
hope for better days chimera, and thu
reorganization that will come will b.
that which attends national ruin ant
: ACKNOWLEDGMENT, anarchy and desola
49,, D,tIeluro Drifie