The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-04-24
MONEY IN POLITICS.
Its Demoralizing Effects and the
Uncertainty of It's Work
Some Reasons For a New Departure,
With other Reasons That Practi.
caiiy Sustain This Demand.

1t ~ concluded from wnat mas alreauy
been said in these columns, that the use
OF money in our popular elections is
considered necessary requisite. This
conclusion y i'll also be reached by the
average observer, whatever his individ-
ual views may be on the subject from
the active work of certain men on elec.
ton day; men whose political efforts
are confined to doing the hustling, as it
is called on election day men whose
political influence consists entirely in
dollars and cents. This conclusion can
also be reached conversely from the say.
ing OF Senator ingalls,, namely: that
''the decalogue and the golden rule have
no place in political campaign" This
utterance of the Senator from Kansas
can onlv mean that every method out
side of the principles and commands
contained in the golden rule and the
decalogue does find its way into politi.
cal campaigns.
The Cleveland Leader, in commenting
on the words of Senator ingalls,, says {:
"This is mighty uncomfortable way of
putting it, but long observation of the
ways of the Democratic party has led to
the mournful conviction that it is un.
fortunately too true"
It would be like casting pearls before
swine to appeal to the Democratic party
for a remedy from the demoralizing
evils, introduced by it into our political
contests. And yet we are far from be-
lieving that every Democrat is corrup-
zionist, but we are just as far from the
belief that every Republican is a pure
and honest politician. 1t is not the aim
or oh, ect to work reform in the Demo-
cratic rsnks, but to suppress and Danish
the dishonest and disgraceful methods
which have already gained too great a
hold on the Republican party from be-
ing the controlling influence and powerful
means in securing party success.
WHAT OF the glorious history and grand
record OF the party OF which every Re.
publican is proud? What of the ringing
resolutions with which we challange the
worlds attention when in convention,
either State or national? If what Sena.
tor Ingalls, declares be true, then these
utterances are empty platitudes. 1t has
been said by men who are now in Office,
that Highland county is not Republican
only as it is controlled by the substantial
influences OF modern methods. This
statement we do not accept, but If it be
true, then we submit that the Republi-
can party is not entitled to one of the
office, of the county; only on the In
gals ground that every sense Of honor,
honesty and principle be suppressed.
But we believe that Highland county
is certainly Republican on general
election, and would be on county cleo
ton if untampered with. As proof of
this statement, take the election in
Highland county for the past ten years,
State and national, and the figures show
Republican majorities, ranging from
only 20 in 1880 to 139 in 1889, the plu.
ralities sometimes running as high as
245. This should be proof enough to |
convince the most skeptical that High.
land county is Republican county.
But says some one, Is any one silly
enough to believe that you can keep the
mass of voters in line in the Republican
party, when they are offered big money
to vote the Democratic ticket? The an.
swer to the question should be yes; but
suppose it be answered after the man
ner of the Yankie, by asking another
question? Is it expected to keep the
mass of voters in line in the Republican
party by paying them money? The
money method has been tried and it can
easily be proven to have been dismal
failure. There is no other logical con.
clusion to be drawn from local politics
in this county than that money cam.
paign don't pan out. 1t is little differ
ence how the failure of the campaigns
are accounted for, whether it is by say
ing that the Democracy outbid the Re.
publican party or that our trusted hench-
men proved treacherous or that the can.
didate was not the right man for the
place. 1t is failure.
A word in reference to the candidate
being the right man for the place has of
late years been too often determined by
how much money he could or would con.
tribute to the campaign fund. This
we would not say was always the rule,
but it is beyond question that it Is
too frequently the rule. The old say
ing, that familiarity with crime or evil |
begets indifference to it," can alone &C.
count for the indifference OF most people |
to the worst political crime that can be. |
fall free people, that is the corruption |
OF the ballot. The most striking in. |
stance Of tLis indifference amongst the |
people at present is the election (by |