The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-12-28

'HNN pOAOtN i'l piihh'S tiih "N'
vantage and when tender conscience |
is quieted by, tue ingenious argument |
that such gain and advantage are iden- |
teal with the pubic welfare. Thi.
stage having been reached and self |
interest being now fully aroused ,
agencies are used and practices per
united in the accomplishment of il, |
purposes. which seen in the pure ligh |
Oi disinterested patriotism, are vieweu |
with fear and hatred. The indepen
dent thought and free political prefer
enCe of those whom fate has made de
pendent upon daily toll Tor hard earned
bread are strangled and destroyed b,
intimidation and the fear OF loss OF
employment. Vile, unsayory forms
rise to the surface OF our agitatcd poll
tiCal waters aid gleeiully anticipate III
the anxiety of selfish interest their op
pOrlunily to tatten upon corrupted aud
deb4uChcd suffrage.
This train OF thought leads us to
consider the imminent danger whici
threatens us from the intimidation and
corruption Of our voters.
II is too late to tempOrize with these
evils or TO speak of them otherwise
tlltNb III hlC HIdIlICoI lClhiSs w aiN
spared the labor of proving their eX
lstence, Tor all admit it. That they
are terribly OH the increase all mus
cOncede.
Manifestly if the motive of all our
citizens were unseltish and patriotic,
and if they sought i'll political action
only their share OF advantage accruing
from the @dvauce of our country at ali
points toward her grand destiny, there
would be no place or occasion for the
perver-ion OF our suffrage. Thus the
Inauguration OF the intimidation ana
corruption of our voters may be justly
charged to selfish schemes seeking sue
cess through political action. But these
evils have been neglected by honest
men disgusled with all political en-
deavOr: they have been tolerated Dy
respectable men who i'll weakness oi
patriotic sentiment have regarded them
as only phases of shrewd political
management and they have been actual
iy encouraged by the honors which have
been bestowed upon those who boast
of their use OF such agencies IN aid Ul
party supremacy.
Many OF us, therefore, may take To
ourselves "A share OF blame when we
find confronting u0 these perils which
threaten the existence of our free in
stilulions, the preservation of our na
tiOnal honor and the perpetuity of our
country. The condition annexed to
the founding of our government upon
| the suffrage of the people, was that
the suffrage should be free aud pure.
| We consented to abide by the honest
| 1I ,,ntitirnl ,,,AiI,inn hnf
we did not consent that free vote,
expressing the intelligent and thought
| Ini sentiment of the voter, should be
balanced by vote of intimidation and
fear, or by all unclean, corrupt vote
diSgraCeiully bought aud treacherously
| sold.
Let US look with degree of pity and
| charity upon those who yield To teai
and intimidation in the exercise OF
their right of suffrage. Though they
ought no, thus to yield, we can not
forget that as against their free ballo
they see in the scale their continued
employment, the comforts OF thell
homes and the maintenance OF theil
families. We need not stlile our scorl
and contempt for the wretch who basel>
sells his vote, aud who Tor 3 bribe be
trays his trust of citizenship. And yel
the thought will intrude itself that b,
but follows III low aud vulgar fashion
the example of those who proceed upon
the theory that political action may bt
turned to private gam.
But whether we pity or wuetner w
hate, our betrayal is none the less com
ple;e; nor will either pity or hate re
store our birthright. But we know
ihat when political selishness is de
stroycd our dangers will disappear
and though the way to its stronghold
may be long and weary we will follow
iI-fghting as we go. There will b
80 surrender, nor will there be desei
iiOns from our ranks. Seltishness ant
corruption have not yet achieved
lasting triumph and their bold delianc
will but hasten the day Of their dc
strnGtiUn.
As we struggle on and coutidentl
: invite direct conflict with these Ell
: trcnch1d foes OF our political safety
vgc have not failed to see another hop
! which has manifested itself TO all th
r honest people OF the land. 1t teachc
: them that though they may not i'm
| tilttlldttlN NlcStlbN at ltlClI SOuIOt llI
t evils which rtll,ct them, they ma
! check their malign influence and guar
themselves against their haneiul re
suits. II assures them that If politics
virtue and recltule can not at once b
thoroughly restored to the republic, th
activity o! baser elements may be dis
/ COuraged. Ii inspires them with v;gilaI
= watchtulneSS and determination {
! prevent, aS far as possible, thei
treacherous betrayal by those who al
+ false to their Obligations of citizenship
| This hope, risen like the star i'll lh
east, has fixed the gaze of our patriot
! iGllUw-cOunirymCn, and everywhere
i'll our busy tnaris of trade and on OF
! Iarms-im our cities and III our village
/ in the dwellings Ui the rich and III til
| homes II the pUOr-in our universiti(
+ and in our workShOps-iu our bamkin
i houses and in the ranks ot ineX0rab
toil-they greet with enthusiastic az
: claim the advent OF ballot reform.
: There are 10 leaders III this CaHSC
{ Those who seem TO lead the movcmeI
, are but swept 10 the front by the surs
: ing force of patriotic sentiment.
= rises tar above partisanship and Onl
: the Needless, the sOrtiid and the Ill
e pravcd refuse to join in the crusade.
t. This reform Is prediCated upon Il
T., cool le liberation OF political scliishme
B., in lis cndnaYOr to prostitute our su
i irage to the purposes of private gaiD
: Il is rightly supposed that corrup!io
: of the voter is entered upon with sue
a. business calculation that the corrupt,
will only pay bribc when he b;
F." occuar proof that the suffrage he la
e bargAincd for is cast in his interest. :
= too, il is rcasOneb.y expected that
the CmplOyc or laborcr is at the time
) casting his ballot removed from Il
/ immediate control OF his employer Il
mtility 0f fear and intimidation w
lcad tu their abandonment
$ The change demanded by this rctor
70 il the inrmaIities surrounding the exc
" else OF the privilege "f suffrage h
u given rise 10 real or pretended SOLE
II iuic for the rights OF our voters; AT
J. the lear has been expressed that inaGi
- ~ on the part OF the electors to cU