The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-08-15
CORRUPTION.
How 1t Has Come Into Power
Under Republican Admin
istratiOn.
Plausible Reasons for Dispensing With
''the Business Man, in Public
Office.
The Story of a Noted Indiana Colonel
Who Esctp ed Prom Libby
Prison.
TSpecial Correspondence. /

ception of Postmaster Gen eraI Gresh-
am, is out on the piellc 20 the Yellowstone.
But public affairs run right on smoothly,
~ q 1t is being demonstrated every day th.t
the GOveTnmsn snt clerk is quite as important
piece OF machinery IS the head OF +na-t
ment. IL we could only rid the country OF
the corruption thar hes come into power aud
place with the boss system. and which must
r iuain snd grow as long as the boss system
uains ours would be the simplest and
is form Of government in the world for
sC-ely nothing can exceed in simplicity
O., rnment thst IS administered by sub
ordlL .es chosen from every class
of cit zenship, from the product
OF our common schools %
the graduates OF our universities, provided
they are honest men. This Obser TetIon leads
TO the reflection which the history of our
civil service fully strengthens, that the cor
ruption in the various departments that has
been exposed 10 public gaze, snd-let1's be
thankful for it as evinclng the virtue o. the
people-has invited the severest censuse Of
the masses, is the result OF the Venality OF
heads of departments. The bosses of the
departments have invariably been the rogues,
while the clerical force under them have
bsen upright II msy be said By those IN
ciined to sneer ct The possibility of q wide
spread popular virtue that the probitv Of the
fifteen thousand clerks that attend TO the
public business in Washington is not due 70
superior Iutfai character, 0ut to the
lack OF opportunity for the practice of ve-
nality which the diffusion # labor assures
Without arguing that point, indeed, accept
ing ii as true, although il might be success
fully contIa0icted. ii shJrds the best of rea-
sops why those who are selected as heads of
departments should measure up to the high
est Standards of honor and integrity Asa
rule, attested by the experience OF every man
who has had dealings with the most SUCCESS
full men in the commercial world il is not
good policy TO choose from the ranks of 'bnsi-
ness men" those who have charge Of the busi-
ness OF such q Nation IS ours. There are
honorable exceptions, which, however, only
prove the rule. For many wears ii has been
the cry of the Republican leaders that "the
bUsiness Interests OF the coantry" forbid the
removal from power OF the Republican party.
We have heard oracular utteraDces from men
who know nothing OF the science of govern
ment not measured by the rules OF their
business establishments, which are based
Rpon sbsolufeism for the head of any sue.
cessiGl business must, of necessity, be an
autocIsf) that g change of administration
will "uusetde values assure q c.angeof
policy 10 which is neglsi-s sNlEes sryszr OF
more for the Government ITO sdjuS. itself"
and similar phrases delivered with parrot
like solemnitv, which have impressed The
masses as having some formidable meaning.
fer the very reason that they were uain-
telligible. Yet it is easily demonstrable that
the country has been going to the devil ever
since the business Interests became domi-
psnt The training OF business man"
from youth up is to make money. This is
the pIeeept that is dInned into his ear from
the first day he hops nimbly over the counter
and takes the width of his thumb Off every
yard he measures, until the day he rolls in
money and seeks TO quiet his conscience by
giving freely to the Church and spaTSely 10
charity. His tTsining soon develops the
instinct Of the pismire to which
Solomon directed attention. Hediscovers that
sands his sugar and shOrtens his yard-Stick,
specially if he has the good fortune to have
q pleasing anG insinuatipg address, calca-
lated 10 retain the confidence and esteem of
his fellows. As he grows in experience aud
discovers how cIeGuious most men aud
nearly all women are, the practice OF beating
his neighbCI5 becomes q passion almost as
fascinating as the love of gain, and the two
together force him into life of deceit and
hypocrisy that is es exciting and as congenial
to him as were the more open aud manly
predatory excursions OF the robber barons
who with shield and sword laid tribute
upon the producers in the middle ages. With
such instincts and such training this Glass be-
gsn 10 be drawn NJ IN after the close OF the
Civil War for elevation 10 public station.
The speclous and plausible reason for nOm-
mating for official stations requiring some
knowledge Of the science OF government men
who had grown rich ia commercial
irenuy succe stEl III his own business mast
make the very best person to put in charge
of The business OF the pCbiic."
What folly
The business Of an individual is govern
ment in which the proprietor is the eutocrst
ard his employees MS servants. The business
OF the public is s. trust N which the trDgtee
Sc q q
sovereign. No twG relations could be cited
that ford so com plete sn antethesis of inter
esis. The successful business man owes his
success to the fSct that he has always man
eyed his property entirely 10 bis own edvan-
tPge and sggrancizement He knows 10
more about administering 4 trust for the ben
eft Of others than himself, or of others iOiGtly
with himself, than Daniel Webster or Henry
Clay knew of stock gambling. Transplant
TIE succt ssiui business man 70 high
official station in the public SER
vice, and 10 Is As inevitable
that be will carry bis commercial training into
the discharge Of the duties OF that office as
that death is the lot OF man. He is as GER
tain 10 become corrupt SIS an opportunity
large enough 10 tempt him presents itself,
and the only precaution be takes is TO make
sure that he will not suffer the penalties inn
posed by the law. let him be assured of i'm
munity from punishment and SO far from
fearing the disgrace Of exposure, he rather
courts publicity that susiains in the wide
field Of public life the business sagacIty"
that gave him pre-eminence in the narrow
circle OF his province. AS long he escapes
the Penitentiary, keeps his bank account
balanced on the right side and contributes a
few hundreds to the Church aud o.her
charities, he holds up his head and parades
as a respectable citizen" with the
applause, alas, of that noisest. and most
noisome class in every community, the
toadies and hunkies. That is commercial
honor feebly illustrated. .sperhaps, but every
village in the United States will recognizs
its accuracy. But if we are ever to get from
under the control of this class we must raise
the old Jeffersonian standard, which, wit
the unfortunate and shallow instinct of
Americans to snatch eagerly at phrase to
express sy stem has been wretchedy.epitom-
Ized by misiDterI relation of his famous in
terrogatory as applied to the oflice-seeker.
ais he honest, is he capable Who is
honest" if not the man who pays his paw
rent and his grocers bills, his taxes on
schedule uf personal property repressnhng
but hthe of the cost of the carriage he
drives, and bis notes when they fall due in