The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-05-17
The Corruption of the Times.
CHAs. R. FAVOUR, Secretary

--. Ine COrrupLlOn OF Inc Ilu0S.
Elsewhere this morning we publish short
account of the fearful financial crash in New
York Last week the firm of Grant & Ward
collapsed, with liabilities amounting to about
fifteen millions of dollars, and the crash of
Wednesday last in which two banks and seven
broker firms went to the wall, has very much
unsettled business, and the end may not yet
be reached. No such failures have occurred
for years, and there is no telling what the
consequences may be.
These failures are the result of greed, be-
gotten by the extravaganza and corruption of
the times, which grew out of the extravaganza
and corruption of the government for the past
twenty or more years. Practices and trans
actions which would have consigned people
to the penitentiary twenty-five years ago, or
prompted their hanging at the hands of the
populace, have now grown to be respectable.
Stock gambling, grain gambling, and gam
bling of all kinds, has grown to be respectable.
Money is the great object of mankind. In
past years people were content to live by re-
spectacle callings and honest toll. To-day
people desire to acquire sudden wealth by
specializing and gambling, no matter who suf-
fer so they gain. Millions are made and lost
in day; prodigality and corruption are rife.
Men prefer death to poverty, and take their
lives rather than go to honest toll, after losses
in Wall street. ..
Before the advent of the Republican party
to power, millionaires were very rare. To-day
they are more numerous than were those worth
$4,000 twenty-five years ago. In fact in the
large cities the man with but a single million
is only in comfortable circumstances
The age of extravaganza and greed began
when the late war commenced. The govern
ment, in order to secure loans, offered high
rates of interest That was the starting point.
Then came government contracts for army
supplies, &C., and fabulous fortunes were soon
an1assed by defrauding the government.
Contractors shared with government officials
to keep themselves out of the penitentiary.
There were navy contracts, star-route con-
tracts, the Whiskey Ring, and various other
schemes by which people became immensely
wealthy by fraud and corruption. Under
Grant the whole administration became cor
rupt from the President down. Babcock, his
private secretary, was connected with the
Whiskey Ring, formed to defraud the govern
ment. Belknap, his Secretary of War, was
connected with the post leadership frauds,
and his Secretary of the Navy enriched him.
self out of jobs. Grant himself was not al
together clear. His acceptance of Beknap's
resignation and his pardon of the Whiskey
Ring led many to believe he was a partner in
the spoils, while his Black Friday performance
was anything but creditable. From the Cab
met the corruption spread to Congress. Gar
field, Blaine, Ames and others were mixed up
in the Credit Mobilier TRANSACTIONS; Garfield
In the DeGolyer contracts, and many others
in schemes too numerous to mention. Sher-
man, Window, Blaine, Chandler and hosts of
others went to Washington few years ago
with scarcely enough to pay their railroad fare,
and are now millionaires. Some have had no
other legitimate means of obtaining money
than their salaries of from five to ten thousand
dollars year, and yet have spent double that
amount every year in sumptuous dinners and
fast living. The ill-gotten gains have been
used, in many instances, to perpetuate the
power of the Republican party. As long as
that party administered affairs, prospects for
further gains were good. A Democratic ad-
miuistration, it was known, would end their
career of spells. Dorsey robbed the govern
ment through star-route jobs, and with u par
of his gains purchased the election of Garfield.
Garfield knew of Dorsey's frauds when he adj
dressed him rs "Desr Dorsey" and knew OF
them when he complimeated him upon his
election successes. He knew of them after he
was President, and his administration and
that of Arthur, after mere pretence, allowed
Dorsey and all the other thieves to go unpun-
ished.
From the government, greed and corruption
have spread to the people. i corrupt gov
eminent is sure to debauch and corrupt its
subjeets Fraud, peculation, perjury and ex-
travagance have been common in the govern
ment, and the people have become corrupt
also. 1t is time now that the government be
put into pure hands and change be made.
An honest administration and an able and up
right Congress will soon right matters. An
opportunity for change is fast approaching,
and if the people are wise change will be
voted. .a. .