Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-07-09
POLITICAL HYPOCRISY


 @ When th9 Devil wac sick, the Devil Monk
 Wien the Devil go- well. the Devil a Monk was
 he.
 There IS too much If 6 disposition on the part of the leaders of all political parties to do many things purely for political effect, and endeavor to create the impression that they are actuated by ! genuine principle In many instances ] the matter is too transparent to deceive ] any one and it IS simply labor lost. Then parties ID convention or through their representatives in Congress ex- press sentiments to which their whole ! career gives the lie.
 i This is the attitude of the Democratic partyil Congress upon the question Of the contribution of public officers for political purposes. Nowhere in the history of any country was more shame less assessment and enforced contribu- tion carried on than in Washington under Democratic administration. Men l their salaries. The roll was sent out Tn the handwriting of the head of department, and the contributions were deducted from the pay of contributors at the pay office. It was very simple proposition then and the situation of subordinate government officer made 1t "pay or quit This subject was care fully investigated in May 1860. At that time one officer said that he had paid on the principle of life insurance. simply to hold his office.
 Buchanan was party to this shame less method of raising money to secure lis election in 1856, and the same meth cd was employed in 1860 to secure the election of Douglas.
 They failed, and except in States the Democracy has had no opportunity to demonstrate it's methods, but in States It has continued to a limited extent the same practices. It IS out of power noT and for the sake O. success proiesses an immense amount If virtue, which # never possessed when 1t could make a practical application.
 No such practices exist now asin ante bellum days. Officers can contribute or refuse as they see it, and suffer no evil consequences. And 1t IS well estab lished fact that hardly more than ten Der cent. do contribute. Yet that any do make voluntary contributions Is a tern bic criMs. Why? Not because there is any harm. per SC. in contributing money for legitimate campaign purposes, but because that money is used 10 further the interests Of Republicans and against Democracy. What is the whole ground work and superstructu-e of Democratic civil service reform? The Democratic party is slck-of being ont of power and like the devil, monk would be. But let them secure the Te.ns of govern ment and they would ignore their fine theories and adopt all the methods of practical politics, So called
 The practice Of political assessments us 1t was carried on ID former years was wrong in principle and popular senti- ment has forced its discontinuance. Now, however, tine bad features are largely eliminated and no one suffers any injustice from 1t. For our part We should not oppose its entire abolition. The Eon-ofiice holding class, who know that continued prosperity Is more likely under Republican rule, will furnish all the necessary funds to disseminate the principles of the party. And the people know that the loudly professed virtue of Democratic politicians is a delusion and a snare.