New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-26
HAS FREEDOM FAILED 7
decades.

Is il true that Times latest offspring, which
men call the Great Republic, is far from the
noblest; that corruption is here the rule and
virtue wel-nigh lost art, and that selt-gov-
eminent is here maintained principally for the
purpose of plundcring the people?
A stranger visiting this country, and judg-
ing of its institutions entirely from the pub
lished statements of those who advocate varl-
Gus changes of policy or method would he com
PEELED to believe that all these things are true
He is told by organs representing nearly hall
the people for example that the National pol
icy of protection which has been maintained by
the Government for nearly thirty years. is eS-
sentially scheme to rob the many for the
benefit of the few, and during all these years
has so operated and yet a scf-gOvcrning peo-
pie uphold the robbery. He is told by a multi
tude of advocates Of ballot reform that cleo
tons here have as a rule become contest OF
purses that milionares crowd the Senate be
cause the longest purses buy the seats; that
candidates who are not rich have little chance
to enter even the lower House, unless they are
dishonest enough to accept an election as gait
at the hands of some public-p underlng JOB !;
that workingmen are generally intimidated or
controlled by employers; that voters IN cities
are usually controlled by direct bribery, and
that even in country towns the number OF
voters who will not go 20 the polls unless paid
for il has become so great that money turns the
scale.
The Jealous persons who passionatcly desire
changes which they think needful do not pause
TO reflect that if all they assert is true, the one
change most necessary for the public veal is
to take from the people the self governing
power which has for century been used with
such frightful results. f'the ballot-bOx has
indeed become the fountain of corruption and
robbery, it is time to substitute the sccptre
If citizens can employ their freedom to no bet
ter purpose than in plundcnng themselves
through forms Of law, then by all means let an
aristocracy of some sort do the governing there
after
The stranger who visits this country after Il
little observation presently becomes satisfied
that passionate denOuncers Of American insti-
tutions do not mean what they say. He sees
that they reason and labor, year after year, in
evident faith that the great majority OF voters
do vote freely and from honest convictions. He
sees that either of the great parties, in every
man or the close associate and friend Of rich
men, in the fear that prejudice against such in
fluence will do more to defeat than all possible
employment of wealth can do to elect the nom
inee He sees that in ninctcnths Of the dis
ticts men Of small means obtain the hOnOrS by
force of character and intellect, and that the
decisions of the people are by all citizens ac-
copied as honest and as a true test Of public
sentiment, in ninety-nnc cases ont OF "A hun
dred, throughout the Northern States at least.
1t is the American habit to rcvle American
institutions beyond all reason. in the sincere
endeavor to attain better things All par
ties and all real or professed reformers, without
an exception now remembered, fall into this
fatal fault Most fatal il is to their own
endcavorS, because the constant iteration Of "A
charge which the voters themselves know TO
be untrue tends TO destroy the influence Of
those who make it, even when they are labor
ing for the best of causes.