The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-10-04
UNWHOLEs0ME EXAHPLEs.

Some weeks ago 4 New York political
journal undertook to excuse, Il not
iustifv. the immoralities Of American
statesmen by asserting that every great
English statesman or reformer OF the
past century, except three-RonoIiy'
Wiiberforce and Gladstone-was a man
whose private life was immoral. Tins
assertion was intended TO break the
force OF the exposures Of the private
characters and conduct Of the men VINO
headed the Democratic and Republican,
tickets for the Presidency. Personal
scandals have no legitimate place - our
politics or campaigns. Il they
are brought into them it IS be
cause of the weakness of the
side that brings them forward. Having
TO ground fer basing fair and honor
able attack upon the opposition
marty will sometimes descend to the
s3isreputabie course OF taking cowardiy
advantage of the enemy by assaillng at
points where it cannot defend-for the
reason that it has never deemed it pos
sible that a dishonorable attack could /
be made. This was as true OF the !
Cleveland as the Blaine assaults or eX-
,9osures. II all that has been charged
against the Democratic and Republican
nominees for the Presidency in regard
to their private lives we're absolutely
and undeniably true, it could not dis
QUALITY either for the administration OF
the high Office for which they are candi-
dates. If Mr.. Cleveland Is the father
Of Maria HaIpin's illegitimate son, be
X no less an able capable states
man and executive officer than
# he had never heard OF
the widow who deemed her virtue and
purity OF such small value that she
would barter them for the gold OF the
lecher. MIR. Blaine's relations with the
girl who afterward became his wife
were not such a the church ar the
civil code Of morals could approve, and
vet his unnlauiy course and conduct in
that case can hardly be held :, disauali-
Acation for the o;Eice To whicla he
asPires-
At the same time While these things
lave no place in politics. being matters
Tor the church and society 10 regulate
and punish, it i deplerabie 10 reflect
that The great ones oil the earth are 50
loose in their morals that their social
irregularities and corruPtions are
looked upon as matters OF course, as
something 10 be expected of men III
their stations. The London World,
Edmund Yates paper, denies the aliega-
ton of the New York editor that Eng
Hsh statesmen and reformers OF the last
hundred years, have been, with the
three exceptions named, immoral men,
pronouncing the story ''arrant non
sense, - and naming q dozen conspicu-
cas- Engiishmen against, whom there
never was a whisper" This de
NAL NAV be traced directly IT, national
pride. for it Is al indiSputable fact that
English statesmen, no less than Am
orleans in the same higher walks "a life
are grossly and shamelessly Immoral
the only difference being that in tina
country social immortality IS not made
to serve for political purposes, while
here it Is coming to he leading feature
in contests for office. We say it Is sor
rowful that such condition Oh thing
should exist. II The leading men OF ;
nation are corrupt, if they have no re
gard for virtue and the purity OF morals
what NAV be expected of The
masses who naturally and necesSaril!
look up to such nen as Blaine, Cleve
land, Arthur and the high officials ant
social and political leaders as repFeSen
tative persons whose lives should fur
nish patterns for the people? We dc
not know that the moral condition o
the people is at a lower standard to-da,
than it was fifty or 4 hundred year
ago; nor that our Presidents, Senator's
Representatives and politicians gener
ally are more immoral than were thei
predecessors of two OF three generation
back. bat it is fact which cannot be de
MED that the natural aud inevitable CT
feet OF social immortality and rockies
disregard of virtue in and by Officials
and political leaders viii be to lessen th'
regard for parity III the people an'
lower the moral standard Of the masses
The church has q big task before it il
purifying our public men, ana socia
scientists must lend helping hand
Haey would preserve the people in thei
PaEity.