The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-02-25

Whatever may he thought of the doctrine
taught by Mr.. Henry George in his % Pro-
"gress and Poverty" +" he has done good SER
vice 10y the thoughtful article he contributes
to the March North american Rerjer on
Money in Elections" There is no gain
saying MIR, Georges assertion that the
use of money in elections tends to
destroy our institutions by poisoning
the source of the stream from which
they draw their nourishment and sus-
tenancc. The evil is one OF compare
lively recent growth and its extension is
alarminrly apparent to even superficial OIL
servers. As Mr.. George argues, the tre-
mendous leves made ON capitalists aud Gov
ernment employees are rather result than a
cause of political corruption, The election
being the initial point in our political sys
TEN, so long as it is to be gained by the use
of money, and SO long as it cannot he gained
without it, no subsequent precautions will
prevent corruption.
Mr.. George points out that in various
parts of this country only rich men can be
tween Astor and Flower in New York is
cited as an example, in which over S1l0, 600
was spent, though the winner only spent
twenty-odd thousand. The beaten can
didate was consoed for a canvass that
ought to have covered him with dis.
grace by being made Minister to Italy,
What is this but public recognition of MIR.
Astor's course as honorable and what must
be the lesson drawn therefrom by the voters
of that district who had seen his unblushing
effort to buy seat in Congress All who
are familiar with the subject know that
the degradation OF constituencies where
this process is once begun is rapid. The
number of itching palms increases with fear
ful rapidity. Unfortunately this wholesale
corruption of the suffrage is not confined to
the cities. Sparsely-settled Nevada and
Colorado are notorously rotten boroughs,
and there are rural constituencies all over
the country whore the poison is rapidly
spreading. The consolation offered to Mr..
Astor was public recognition that the use
of great sums of money in a Congressional
election is Legitimate, where there ought
instead to have been punishment and dis
grace for the men who thus polluted the
source of political morality. Very naturally
Mr.. Flower, though successful this time,
was not anxious to continue 20 contest so
costly district.
This deadly leprosy of the body polite
will not be fully diagnosed without keeping
in mind that its infectious growth has been
coinCident with the amassing of enormous
wealth by the holders of corporate franchises.
1t is only phase of the millionaire evil to
find refuge from which grangers, and green
hackers, and anti-monopolsts have been so
anxiously cropping. Mr.. George offers a
remedy, which we can at least see would be
palliation, but what certainty is there that
the money power will let 90 any of the
machinery which it has found so useful 4?
Mr.. George wOud make it possible for even
poor man to run for any Office by having
all the necessary expenses both OF primaries
and elections paid for by the Government.
Among other things ne would have the
Government print all ballots, to have on a
separate sllp the names oil all recognized
candidates for a particular office, and let the
voter scratch out the names of those he does
not want elected. He would otherwise
arrange by statute to give no excuse for
spending money. We concur entirely with
Mr.. George in thia The people cannot TOT
soon take steps to stop the purchase of Offices
The rising flow of corruption threatens t.
swamp the Republic. 1t is now in man!
vital respects in condition analogous t
that of Rome Just before the death struggl
between the rich oligarchy and the corrupte,
proletariat, which ended in the triumph O
Casarism, and finally in the overthrow O
the once great race itself by barbarians an,
the submergence for centuries of both tn
Hellenic and the Latin civilizations.