The examiner., 1881-12-10
Political Corruption.

Charges of corruption made by one political party against another carry but little weight, since islander and falsehood have become the principal stock in trade of the two old parties. These charges are so common, and often so absurd, that they seem to fall harmless at the feet of both men and parties, and it is only when the most positive proof of corruption is pro- duced that even disinterested persons are convinced of it's existence.
 For the last twenty years the United States senate and the executive depart ment of the government have been million aire hot-beds. Distant and disinterested parties have discovered this, 80 bold and reckless have become the transactions of these political free-booters.
 Speaking of the robberies in the United States service, Prof. Swing, from his pull pit, says that ''this is 8 nat1on of mingled children and thieves" And the only pal liation or apology The Chicago Tribune has to offer in defense of the party respon- sible for these frauds is ''It may be a little humiliating to the masses of the American people thus to be told bluntly that they are children helpless in the hands of thieves, but this is graphic picture of the shame which has fallen up- on the nation"
 The government of the United States in the hands of those who at present, and for years past have controlled it, is nothing more nor less than an engine of robbery. The spoils of public plumber, and the con- trol of the machinery of government by political thieves to aid them in their schemes of robbery, are the aims and ob- iects to which American statesmanship has become prostituted.
 The London Pall-Mall Gazette, in refer ring to the recent disgraceful proceedings of the senate, says that it shows "the importance which place and patronage have attracted to themselves in the repub- ic." That "there seems to be no longer any statesmanship in the American sen ate." That ''the men in power seek no longer great and lofty aims, but give their talent to the ignoble work of rewarding their friends and punishing their enemies in order to prolong their own official power.
 How many men have entered public life from the walks of poverty and on salary which did not meet their current expenses, become millionaires in few years Look at the frauds and robberies connected with the Pacific railroad legislation. In refer ence to this, Hon. s. F. Miller, one of the justices of the supreme court in 1868 said he knew of one member of congress who owned $500, GOO of stock in the railroad above referred to, without ever paying one cent for it. The information of this at first startled him, "but, said the judge, ''the enormous corruptions at Washing ton which have since come to light, and the great fortunes made by members of congress about the time of said land grants and other laws of monopoly, have con- vinced me that unless the American people assume more patriotism and less partisan ship, the land of Washington and Jeffer- son will soon sink into ruin beneath the weight of it's own corruption.'
 This villainy is made possible only through the blind partisan bigotry of the mass of the people. whom Prof. Swing styles ''helpless children in the hands of thieves"