Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-05-02
Money Power in Politics.

Almost every United States Senator
elected of late is, or is reported to be,
immensely rich. So common has be-
come the election of milionaires to the
Senate that bullion, instead of brains,
is likely to be thought the Senatorial
qualification. A natural query arises
How far does the money power
reach in politics and this leads natu-
rally to another shall the corrupt
ing use of money be stopped?
1t does not follow because rich men
are chosen Senators, that they buy their
elections. The Reformer would not
intimate this. A bonanza king may
be eminently fit to serve as states
man, and may be elected so to serve
without corruptly expending a dime.
| His private character may be above
suspicion, his political conduct above
reproach But when rich men regular
ly win, and when they show no super
lative power of intellect, our free
spoken American will say that money
power prevails He may not indicate
how; he may not realize that the i'm
putation means bribery and criminal
corruption yet all the same he will
tell what money has done, and point
to our supreme legislative body as in
competent, if not venal.
And it will not be denied that the
use of money in politics is positive
evil, and threatening danger. 1t will
not be doubted that money is the one
thing essential to political success, from
the town meeting up. 1t is common
knowledge that poor men are seldom
selected for candidates, and that they
seldom seek for nomination, because,
frankly stated, they cannot afford it.
With these admissions, it is easy to see
how thoughtful patriots may feel alarm
at the prospect, and may, and should,
look seriously for methods of reform.
Political purity is necessary to the re-
public's maintenance The prostitu-
ton of politics will speedily work out
national ruin.
There may be a legitimate money
expenditure for election purposes. 1t
was out of this that illegitimate expen-
diture grew But this outlay is small
In any case, and it attaches wholly to
popular elections, where ballots must
be printed, meetings paid for, and the
like. 1t should not and cannot In any
degree reach into State Legislature,
to influence representatives there chos'
en-. And in the popular election it has
been carried far beyond reasonable
bounds, into wild and inexcusable ex-
travagance. We Americans have put
too much brass band and bluster into
our political campaigns; we have
rolled up so-called legitimate election
expenses into proportions wickedly
large and annually increasing. With
out direct intention to bribe any voter,
campaign committees have swelled
their assessments" on candidates,
even of the most local character, until
payment ought everywhere to be re-
fused as political blaokmail, which in
many cases it simply is. There are
numerous ward committees in every
large city, selfmade and self-perpetuat-
ing, which dictate the nominations as
sumably made by convention, and do
this solely for the blood-money they
may exact. They tickle some rich
mans vanity, or compound some bad
mans prospective venalty, that taey
may tap fat "barrel' or divide the
plunder.
Furtdermore-andt this is the most
dangerous fact ia its lopnection-the
actual purchase of votes has grown to
be thought legitimate campaign
business. In some form, or under
some guise, it is openly carried on at
every election, despite laws against
bribery and public sentiment against
corruption. Committees appropriate
liberal sums to make il successful, and
the lest men in many communities ad-
minister the funds. Ia one way or
another, the poor man OF aasy Political
virtue is regularly bought either paid
for his vote outright, or nominally paid
for his days work, or won over through
! his appetite and the "frce bar" in his
neighborhood. The demoralizing ten
dency of all this ig evident enough, yet
not sufficiently realized What is COM
mon we look upon with Indifference or
ignore altogether Bribery at the polls
is as common as candidates. But We
are glad to see movement in some
localities to resurrect the dead letter of
the law, and prohibit practices so dan
gerous IL seyeral towns of our ac-
quaintance this movement has taken
form as vigilance committee, GOA:
posed of men from each party, resolved
on detecting all defenders and securing
their punishment. The very existence
of such committee, composed of men
from each party, resolved cl detecting
all offenders and securing their panis4-
ment. The very existence OF such a
committee has been influential for good,
aud the active work of one, at least, in
bringing pfosecgtion after an offense,
will long have wholesome effect.
Until similar efforts are geaesa,iy
put forth, the money power in politics
must breed corruption widespread.
The adequate punishment of bribery at
the polls may curtaii that in higher
places, and would certainly insure bet
ter officials, better representatives.. A
man who corrupts the suffrage TO win
place will corruptly administer the
duties OF that place, if it may profit him
SO to do A pGre suffrage is essential
to national perpetuity. To maintain
this, the man who sells his vote sholld
be punished equally with him vino
buys.-The Reformcr.