Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-08-27
Money in Politics.


the political affairs of the nations; lust
as, indeed, it has been IN almost all hu-
man affairs. Ambitious men. from the
earliest ages OF the world, have traded
upon the avarice of their fellow. mon.
and have found that golden keys have
been potent to open tue doors leading
| to Office and political ernineLce.
The use Of money in politics, TOO,
has almost always been a corrupt use;
showing moral delinquency in those
who proilered it, and baseness in those
who have sold themselves to ambitious
! purposes for its sake. Most often, it
has been employed to aid personal ad-
vancement, without reference to the
well-being OF the State, or of the peo-
| pie who were 20 submit to the author
ity OF him who rose by its means.
As we read history, too, we find that
1t IS usually true, that when money be-
comes paramount influence in poll
tics, the nation in which it is 80 cor.
ruptly used has begun to decay. The
most striking instance OF this was that
OF Imperial Rome. In the early DAYS
of that noble political structure, men
were raised to the dignity Of emperor
on account Of their abilities, and some
times their virtues.
Augustus became the ruler OF Rome.
not so much because he was the nephew
OF Julius Caesar, as because he was
seen to be man of remarkable gov
erning power. Marcus Aurelius, Had
rian, and Antonius displayed high
virtues of character, which gave them
success as candidates for the throne.
But the time came when the richest
men in Kome bid against each other
for the Imperial diadem. The soldiers
chose the Emperor; and their votes
were openly bought. He who could
pay the most for their votes was elected;
and TINS it came to pass that, no mattor
how stupid, vicious, corrupt, or cruel
man was, if he only had enough mon
ey, he conld buy the right to rule that
mighty Empire. In almoA every nar
ton. later than Rome, We find money
playing the same demoraliziug part;
but never since to such an extent as
there. And when the crown Of Rome
thus became the object of barter and
sale, the Empire hastened swiftly TO
decay and to extinction.
| In England, money has long been q
very potent and scandalous influence
IN politics. In the last century, the
votes OF members of Parliament we're
openly bought. even by Prime Minis
ters; and Sir Robert Walpole, tho man
who was Prime Minister for tho longest
eri0d, was at one time expelled from
the House of Commons for the corrupt
use OF money. Some years later, Hen
ry Fox, tho father Of the yet more dis
tinguished Charles James Fox, actually
opened an office in the government Of
fees themselves, for tho purchase of
votes 81 members of Parliament in IA
vor of the Ministry to which he be-
lOnged.
Money is still lavishly used in Eng
lish politics, though the practice of
briDing members of Parliament has
long since ceased. Its use now takes
the form Of expenses attending cleo
tons; and there is great deal of brib-
cry OF voters, as we'll as many methods
Of the indirect use of funds to secure
\ seats in Parliament. Members of Par
Lament receive no salary; hence it is
only men of wealth. as a rule, who can
afford to enter tho House; and these Of
ten spend large amounts to gain admis-
sion TO it. A candidate has been known
to spend two hundred md fifty thou.
sand dollars FOR seat; and this money
went in bribery, treating, subscriptions
to local charities and pleasures, and in
many corrupt ways. Probably the av.
erage cost OF an election to Parliament
is fully twenty thousand dollars; and
ranges all the why from that to a quar-.
ter of million.
In this country, unhappily, money
is getting to have very formidable
and debssing influence in politics. II
is true that our representatives in Con
gress are paid liberal salaries, 30 that
man need not be rich in order to be
able to give his time and labor to the
nations service. Yet we constantly
hear OF candidates being selected be-
cause they can put out great deal OF
money to win; and on every hand, IN
all the papers, and in the current polit-
ical events. we hear of money being
used mysteriously, "crooked" transac-
tons into which it enters, and ont too
often, actual bribery resorted to.
| Money should not be thus used TO ad.
vance personal ambitions without ref.
erence to the true interests Of the peo-
pie. Stringent laws should forbid it,
under heavy penalties. Public opin-
| Avn cAVuiA chup ~ WAtu neCin Nheese
proval. The people should refuse to
support man whose only claim to
nomination and election is that he has
money, which he is ready to lavish IN
securing triumph. The only way to
check this evil, which, there is too
much reason to fear, is growing among
us, is to teach ambitious men, by the
censure Of the best sense .ef the people,
that money corruptly used cannot open
the way to political honor, and that
the only keys to public position ars
honesty. ability. and patriotic zeal
DOUBLING UP.-It is told OF Rev.
Joseph Cook that when he was theo-
logical student ut Andover, he ocou'
pied rooms in the seminary dormitorles,
but always insisted upon being alio ,Ssa
the privilege of rooming slone. Ihe
rapid increase in the number OF stu
dents ut the seminary. however, neces'
STATED doubling up" and . chum was
assigned to Mr.. Cook, who endured tne
| observation-disclosures Coz a Tina Nth pO1laQIuQ-