The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1882-03-11
ABUSE OF PUBLIC MEN.
San Francisco CALL

The law ho'ds t. ~ theory tnat an
accused person is innocent until he is
proved guilty. This theory is reversed
in practice only where the character of
the accused is such as to warrant pre-
sumption of his guilt. If a person is
charged with burglary, and it is proved
that he has committed other offences of
character similar to that charged against
him, he may be convicted on less posi-
tive testimony than would be required to
convict person of established good repu-
tation. This is right. Established char
acter should protect any person from
frivolous charges. But, in some respects,
we treat our public men with less con-
sideration than we treat our criminals.
The public listen very readily to charges
brought against them. A plausible story,
compromising well-known men, finds
eager listeners and ready believers. A
long life of probity is no shield against
such assaults. A portion of the public
act upon the principle that the only diff
ference between public men is that some
are so unfortunate as to be "found out, -
while others succeed in keeping their
crookednees concealed. This is not the
way to make honest public men. 1t is
the way, however, to make the easy
going but well-intentioned public man
dishonest. The old proverb of "having
the game, if you have the name, applies
to such cases. Virtue may be its own
reward-that is, all the reward it gets,
but it is entitled to more. Character
should be shield against every assault
that is not sustained by proof; but when
proof does come there should be no hest
tation about passing judgment. The
doors to public life should be rigidly
closed against all who have abused pub
lie trusts. First, let us hold our public
men Innocent until the contrary is proved,
and then let us condemn them with a
severity that shall serve as a warning to
their associates. American public life is
full Of scandals, which circulate and
taint, but do not condemn. Only in rare
instances are men, whose guilt is suscept-
ible of proof, driven from public life.
The lobbyists Of Congress, and Of several
of our State Legislatures, have names on
their books which appear year after year,
and which are held sacred so long as the
tool remains convenient and servicable.
Public men themselves are responsible,
to an extent, for the loose way in which
their class is judged. There is good
deal of what may be called political con-
spiracy going on in public life. One
clique or party seeks to gain some ad.
vantage over conspicuous opponent by
insinuations and innuendoes, unsupported
by proof. We regret to say that news
papers sometimes fall into this line Of
attack. There is hardly doubt but
there was conspiracy to ruin Blaine by
misrepresentation of his instructions te
the American Minister to Peru. 1t wal
asserted, by innuendo, at least, that
these instructions implicated him in {
design to further the interests of the
Peruvian Company, for his own pecu
MARY benefit. There has not been a line
published in the official correspondence
to warrant that Interpretation. This i'm
plication stands quite distinct from al
opinion in regard to his South American
policy as national question. People
may honestly differ as to the wisdom o
that policy, and it may be disavowet
without other impeachment of the lat
Secretary than the soundness of his judg
ment. But the attempt to connect hin
with the Peruvian scheme would hav
driven him from public life, if successful
unsuccessful, it should drive from re
putable society every man engaged in it