Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-12-14
THE FOUNTAIN OF CORRUPTION.

| to save tie UnlOn by the exposure oil
frauds on the people.
THE FOUNTAIN OF CORRUPTION.
New York Evening Post.)
Two eminent Judges-Judge Daniels
of the Supreme Court OF this State and
Judge Gresham of the Federal Bench
have within few days expressed, in
strong and plain language, their opiu-
ions IS to the causes OF our electoral
corruption, and MS to the remedy for it.
Says Judge Daniels:
It is n lamentable fact that voters are
influenced and controlled in many in
stances by the use of money and proper
tv in giving their votes. This is not
wholly confined to the illiterate, ire
sponsible, or vicious classes, But il cur
rent information can be relied upon,
and il probably can on this subject, in
stances are not rare by any means in
which intelligent persons, in other re-
spects correct in their habits and de-
pertinent, vote as they are influenced
pnd rewarded by money, The vice-or
crime, as il may be more correctly de-
pominated-is one of appalling magni-
tude, having direct tendency to un-
dermine the foundation on which tho
national and State governments must
be maintained if they are to be MAIN
tained in the future, for they can scarce.
ly stand only on the intelligence and
political integrity of the voters them
selves.
IL that is to be corrupted by the use of
money i'll the elections, then ultimately,
and at no very distant period, the
wealthy will buy the prominent and
important offices. Men of moderate
means, or without means. and still
possessing intelligence, experience, abil-
ity and uns werving integrity, must in
that event retire from the politicai field.
They will be as completely ineligible as
though declared to be so by the Consti-
tuition, both State and national. And
that will hand the Republic over to an
aristocracy as surely as it would be If
in legal theory it had been placed on
that foundation.
Says Judge Gresham in Indiana I:
1t Is the Pharisees who arc doing this,
II is men of prominence and respectable
ity who raise these large sums of
money, knowing the use that they will
be put to-men who deal openly in cor
ruption one day and go to church the
next.
1t is those men who bring disgrace
upon the State. You may convict n
hundred-yes, even Observation-Disclosures
voters for bribery but the effect upon
n community would be as nothing
compared to that which would follow
the conviction of one prominent man.
There could not, in truth, have been a
better text for Thanksgiving sermons
yesterday, particularly to the weather.
congregations in the great cities, than
the responsibility of the rich, well-to-do
people for that venality OF our politics
which even those who have profited by
it are deploring. We are glad to see
that Bishop Coke availed himself of it.
1t is "the men of prominence and re-
spectability" who are most to blame.
1t is all very well to tell strangers that
it; is the Ignorant foreign vote" which
is dragging the city or the Government
down. The solemn truth is that the
| ignorant, both native and foreign, is
made dangerous mainly by the practice
on the part of rich American Christians
of piving large sums of money during
political canyasses to men whom they
would not trust in any business trans
action, withoutsnskipg single question
as to the use to be made of it, aud
without requiring or expecting any ac-
count or voucher whatsoever.
Could there be a use of money by q
protesting Christian filter for pulpit de-
nunciation by u faithful preacher? Is
it possible to hold up the corruption de-
veloped in the late election without say
ing to everybody who gave n liberal
donation to the party funds and asked
no questions, "Thou art the mani 1t is
through you that the shadow of this
great fear has come upon the country.
1t is you, and not the Matts and john
nies, who are the author of our disgrace.
Their carriages and horses and diamonds,
their power and prestige and boastful-
ness, their claims and exactions, are
your, not their shame. You would think
1t very wrong to give money to any
charitable or religious association, or
even to the trustees of your own church,
without asking what use was to be
made Of it, or expecting some account
of 1t to be rendered. You would not
give it to the most simple Christian man
you know Of, no matter how great his
necessity, without being made in some
way acquainted with the nature of that
necessity, and having some moral guar
antee at least that it was an innocent
nee essity, and that the money would
not be spent in folly or luxury. In
business matters, TOO, you would think
it, not only foolish, but very wrong, to
keep supplying funds to people who
rendered no accounts, gave you no se-
curily, and who bnrnt their books and
papers after every considerable trans
action in which they We're engaged.
You would say not simply Is thy SER
want an ass that he should do this thing ?
You would ask also. Is he knave I
But in politics you do 1t nearly every
year. Every fourth year you do IL
with rush. When you give money to
the Quays and 0'Briens, you give II in
absolute disregard of all the rules of
business morality as well as of Chris
tian prudence. And yet you call this
being the Lords steward; you call this |
being the trustee for HIS service Of
your own fortune"
1t is safe to say that fully two-thirds
OF the funds with which votes are
bought came from protesting Christians
standing high in the various denomina-
tions. This leads us TO hope that much |
can be done in aid of legislation towards
reducing the amount of electoral fraud |
and corruption. If we can work on the |
consciences OF those who supply the |
money, we shall do much to abate the |
rascality of the managers, even before |
we get them locked up in the peniten-
tiary.