Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-04-17
Money in Politics-DemOcracy Dan.
ger.

| The restoration of the Democrat,
party is far from complete. It's partia
restoration, however, and the indica
ton of its final triumph, are sufficient
TO draw into its ranks many adherents
who bring with them elements of sci.
fishness and discord which threaten to
make success disasterous to public wei.
fare. The life of Democracy has been
preserved and success made possible by
man of sterling principles; men who,
through defeat and disaster, who, des-
pite cheering prospect, have been
faithful to their convictions and, with
out the hope of reward, courageous in
the ennunciation of their principles.
such men provoke admiration and de-
serve all praise. Foremost among them
may be placed Thurman, Tilden, Hen
bricks, Mcdonald, Bayard and others.
The prospect of success, in one sense
at least unfortunately, brings into the
ranks of Democracy an element which
comes only for selfish gratifcation-an
element not in sympathy with the prin-
clples OF these grand old masters-an
army of Trimmers; men, who without
convictions of their own, ever seek to
make themselves agreeable to the ma
jority and tolerable to the minority.
Such men are not safe as leaders and
are dangerous to principles. Ignorant
OF state-craft and Indifferent to govern
mental policy, they look only to indi-
vidual aggrandizement. The measures
Of values are the only emblems they dis
cover upon the standard of human
rights-they seem to forget that our
government was instituted to ''establish
ustlce," to promote the general well
are" and to "secure the blessings of
liberty" and act as if its only purpose
vas to foster the aggregation of capital
md to protect wealth.
This class of men, like Charles the
second, are incapable of any self-de-
lial, without faith in human virtue or |
n human attachment, without desire
or renoWn, and without sensibility to |
Like Charles, they think
hat every person can be bought, and
hat some simply haggle more about
he price than others.
1t is not an uncommon thing to hear
nen of recognized ability and integrity,
ecline candidacy for position of
rust for which they are urged, upon the
round that they cannot offend to make
he campaign, they are too poor to in
ur the expense. 1t has become equally
ommon to hear men urged for position
pom the sole ground that they are
and will spend a large sum of
honey in the campaign. Indeed, it il
OF unusual to establish a sort of stock
larket where supporters are to be pur-
hased like cattle; in fact, we have
card of cases where the purchaser HIM
'lf, proceeding upon the idea that
every man has his price," has him
If attempted to fix the price and sent
is drafts accordingly.
1t is by means of this kind that labor
scomes enslaved to capital, that mon
'olies and priviledged classes are
eated, that legislative bodies are SUBJ
iized, capital alone represented in the
'ngress of the Union and millionairs
ade the wards of the country. Here
+, in this moral corruption; money in
'litics, "business methods" or, what
od Deacon Smith; calls "practical
'litics"--lies the greatest danger to
'pular government, and it becomes the
lty of ofDemocrats, in all their convo-
tions, from q national convention to a
wnship caucus, to Indignantly frown
wn, condemn and defeat all such }
ethods and means. Any man who
IL corrupt the people is an enemy to
> government, and republican gov !
nment can not abide with corrupted t
ople. s
IN n A.