The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1883-01-25
THE STAR ROUTE FRAUDS.

THE STAR ROUTE FRAUDS.
BY some i, nay be thought rather
late in the day to begin to write
editorials upon the above subject.
But we propose to take sober view
of things which the star route frauds
tell us exist.
To speak out at the beginning,
we propose to call public attention
to a state of political morality which
encourages if it does not breed such
iniquities, And such shameful things
are becoming painfully frequent in
these days. Men plundering the
government who have been trusted
to watch over its interests. Officials
Of public and private corporations
embezzling corporate funds. In
fact there seems to be, in many in
stances, complete ignoring Of
plain, common honesty, aud too fire.
quent robberes of one sort and
another. 1t may be that the wish to
be rich, the large scale upon which
business is transacted, and the col-
lecting of large sums of money in
one place will in sense account for
these things. But may it not be
true that the lax state of public mor~
ality is largely responsible. In the
vegetable kingdom we discover that
any particular plant Aourishes only
in a soil and climate friendly to its
nature. That is, where the opposi-
ton it meets is subdued, and the
war made upon it is feeble.
So the question becomes very
serious one, how far these public
scandals are promoted by the abb
seuce Of a vigorous opposition and
relentless war upon them by the
general public. This is the line of
thought to which attention is invi>
ted.
OF the star route frauds it is not
likely we shall ever know much.
But exactly that is one thing to give
alarm. Fifty years ago our fathers
would have sifted the affair to the
laet, driven from public place every
man connected with the iniquity,
every man in any wise responsible
for it, and branded them to the third
and fourth generation. Now it is
believed, that with q possible ex
ception or two, those engaged in the
disreputable transactions will never
be disturbed. The disapproval in
the public mind falls far short of
hat indignation that demands that
offenders against law and morals
shall be brought to punishment.
We are calling attention to that
state Of public morality which makes
such high crimea possible in their
conception, and SO apparently sue
cestful in their results Such things,
we repeat, are becoming painfully
frequent; and if it be true that The
iuattentioa or Indifferent action of
those who deplore them, be in any
sense responsible for them, it is high
time they assert their convictions.
We by no means intimate that good
men everywhere do not condemn
such things. But we do say that
good men are not making them,
selves felt IN the direction of public
matters as they ought. We meaa to
say that no man has a right to with
hold the least measure Of influence
to punish wrong and promote virtue.
There is no place for sinful selfish
ness Or a siokly sentimentality. We
want to see every man do his full
duty in the formation and eutorce-
ment of public sentiment that de-
mapds, and will take no denial, that
all matters, public and political as
well personal and private, shall be
conducted according to the strictest
integrity. In such sentiment is
found tho safety of all that is good
and the rebuke of the contrary.
Such sentiment tormulates laws and
is the life and power Of their enforce
ment.