The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1886-11-17
THE SALOON IN POLITICS,
A Dcmoralizing and Disgrnceful
Agency I'm American PolIti-
cal Life.

Agency In American PolIti-
cal Life.
What have the seven thousand saloons
of New York city done for herp They
have fastened upon her citizens the
most shamefully corrupt government
ever endured by community indulg.
ing in the illusion that it was free; they
have almost made it impossible for an
honest, educated man TO touch local
politics, much less take office they
have degraded the conduct of public
affairs to their own low level they
have brutallzed every institution they
have had to do with; they have per-
verted and spoiled the democratic sys-
tenn, making a Kissing and Il rcproach
of American citizenship and the sui.
frage. establishing pol teal SHAMELESS.
pandering TO the worst vices OF the
worst classes, deiiling everything de-
cent and pure with thcirribald soothing.
and producing Mt intervals, as proof OF
their quality, tendencies, and power,
such abominable scandals rs that of the
Tweed ring or the more recent sale of
votes in the board of aldermen. But
evil rs are the results of the rvmbin-
alton between the saloon and the poll
ticians, it is not just to hold the latter
responsible for all the mischief they
cause. In truth, they are the resdlt of
conditions which could not produce
any thing better, and it is unreasonable
to blame the product while refusing TO
interfere with the generating agencies.
The saloon is an arrangement for the
maintenance and propagation of the
worst vice with which humanity is
afflicted. vice which destroys every
elevatlng influence, kills shame, man
hood, ambition. family affection, honor
all that makes life worth living; Il vice
which fosters brutality, seli-indulgencc,
and all the train of ignoblc and de-
grading passions and inclinatons.
Now, the purpose and intent of the
saloon being what it is, the develop
mcnts noted are simply what ought to
have been expected when so LARGE Il
share in the govcrnm mt OF the country
was permitted to be seized by this sim
lister agency. The American system of
government is theoretically sound
The means of education are accessible
to all. But when our children have
passed through the public schools and
entered into public life if they wish to
take part in public affairs they must
descend to the saloon tor instruct on in
pol tics, and in the same institution the
foreign immigrants must graduate b.
fore they can oXercis, the right of citi.
zenship. these are our political
schools, in fact, and they give tone to
our pol tics, city, state, and national.
The candidate for office finds it ind s.
pensablc to make himself solid' with
the rum power. He must buy the ia
vor of the saloon.keapers. He must
frequent these places and tlatter the
vanity of those who gather there.
Through them he must obtain the votes
of the idle. the vicious, the criminal
classes He must become fam liar with
all the ward strikers and loafcrs.
He must be represente at the caucuses,
which are always held where drink
alounds. He must defer to the views
of men of the loves, intelligence. He
must subscribe to platforms drawn up
by demo roglics AMI time servers. Is II
any wonder that self-suspacling men so
often shrink from these ordealS, and
prefer the obscurity Of private life to a
political career demanding such sacri-
lice and such debasement?-At ldRtic
W0Athky