Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-05-30
Democrats ever before used in q ma

| lie nlOcTatS ever before uSeQ In na-
tional campaign.
| National elections are notorlously
decided, when the parties are so near
| ly evenly matched as they have been
for the past twelve years, by the long
er purse and the greater skill in the use
of money.
| (2.) But our Presidents haze been
poor men, "says the sophists and Phar-
| iSees.
| Yes, but what Roscoe Conkling call
ed the "hidden and abhorrent forces"
| that have elected them are not poar
| The tariff barons are not poor. The
| railway kings are not poor. The coal
| and iron and lumber and copper mag
mates are not poor. Jay Gould was not
poor when he gave, as certified by
| Stephen 3. Dorsey, 100000 toward
electing Garfield in 1880, under a writ
ten stipulation that the latter would
not appoint a Supreme Court Judge
except to Gould's satisfaction.
That the men of money have not en-
| tered the domain of politics in vain is
attested by the protection enjoyed ard
the immunity secured, in the nation,
states and cities, by the Pacific railway
companies and by various corporations,
trusts and other monopo.ies which
thrive ut the public expense.
80 The Money PoaUer hos inUdded
the Senate.
Formerly, and not very long ago.
pre-eminent talent for the public ser
vice, the highest character for honor, a
wide knowledge of the history and
science of government or great debAt-
ing and oratorical power was necessary
to secure an election to the United
States Senate. For seventy years the
roll of the Senate was roll of fame.
To-day a considerable proportion of its
members owe their chief distinction to
their wealth. The election of several
of the Republicans was VIGOROUSLY
purchased, either by themselves or the
corporations which they serve. This
is also true of two of the six D. mocratic
Senators from the Northern States; and
in the case of one of them the Senate
accepted the stigma by refusing to in
vestigate a direct charge ot corruption,
preferred by the Legislature Of the
State, on the prepost ferrous plea that the
alleged bribery took place in caucus
where all Senatorial elections are
practically settled in advance and
where the vote-buying is done. If
vote in the Senate We're confined to
those who are free or are disposed to
vote couscientiously in the public in
terest, there wonld rarely be q quorum
voting. The Senate is fast coming to
represent not the States, but the mon
ey power or a political ring within the
States.
a. Money secures men other high
offices.
In a true democracy the fittest men
are chosen TO office. In this country
rich men buy offices as decorations. or
are given them in reward for campaign
contributions. An honest poor man
can no long, reasonably aspire to high
office. The present Vice President
would never haye held an office except
for his money and his willingness to
give it to help the party. John Wan
amaker would never have been
thought of for Cabinet position had
he not raised the largest contribution
to the Harrison campaign fund. What
would Boss Platt be without his ability
to give, to raise and to use money, to
make ideals" and to pull wires? Is it
pessimism to point from Marcy and
Seward to Croker and Platt? Is it un-
duly praising the past times at the ex-
peuse of the present to say that in the
earlier days of the Republic political
leaders attracted men by their ideas,
captivated them by eloquence and
dominated hy the divine rig ut of super
ior intellect and greater force of charac= !
ter?
Bishop Potter was right. There has
been "Use of money power" and a
degradation of politics in this country.
a plutocracy seeks power to protect
ard to increase its wealth and for PER- |
sonal and social distinction. The
spoils mougers seek power TO reward
their followers and TO live without
working. IT is high time for revival
of real epublicanism and a new dec
laration of true democracy in this coun-
try. We need in fact, as We have in |
theory, a government of the people,by |
the people, ter the people, instead of a
government of politicians, by money,
for cla> ses.