The record-union., 1891-01-17
A GREATER MENACE.


ator Ingalls, declared that at the begin
ming of the second century the American
people had become convinced that the
ballot was not the panacea for the evils of
society; that it had not abolished poverty
or diminished injustice; that they had
discovered that political equality did not
result in social fraternity, and that under
democracy, the concentration of greater
power was more possible than under a
monarchy.
1t is a little late in the day for Mr.. In
gals to announce this as a discovery.
From the very first, it was apprehended
that republican institutions were more
Vulnerable to corrupting influences than
those of monarchies, and it is through
official corruption that the largest fort
unes in this country have been amassed.
The danger to the perpetuity of this Re-
public lies in the facility for corrupting
government, not only of legislators, but
OF courts. The most alarming symptom
of the present time is that the knowledge
of corruption is so widespread and the
protest against it so feeble. The public
are no longer in ignorance of the fact that
legislatures as a rule are corrupted; that
under an elective judicial system, the
Judges of courts are the creatures of
bosses. Now a boss has no use for a
court that he cannot sell; so that courts
are rapidly becoming markets where in
justice is bought and sold. There is
no doubt but that many members
of legislatures believe themselves to
be patriots who have had their
campaign expenses paid, and whose
moral idiocy is of such dense depth that
they do not understand how they have
violated every obligation of patriotism by
consenting to sustain the degraded rela-
ton of having a seat purchased for them
in the Senate or Assembly. The man
who has accepted money in aid of his
campaign expenses has bartered away all
his manliness, has betrayed Republican
institutions into the hands of its enemies,
and has conspirod against the liberties of
his country, and if, after doing this, he
has any self-respect, it is because his
moral nature is SO enfeebled that he does
not realize the depths of the degradation
into which he has sunken. He is not
more honorable than the purchaser, but
he is vastly more contemplate. The diff
ference between the buyer and seller of
official purity is difference between the
size Of the reward. The seller rarely gets
above $1,000 for the prostitution of his
poor little mind and the service of his
weak intellect, while the purchaser Of his
manhood usually prostitutes the small
creature he has bought to very largo ends
and purposes. 1t is true that he is used
to further the aims that end in the selfish
ness and greed of his owner; but at the
same time, we are disposed to think more
highly of the big rascal, with broad
minded and comprehensive plans of self
aggrandizement, than of the little handy
shanked moral idiot, who believes him
self to be a statesman, because he ac-
quired seat in a Legislature or Congress
ut the formers expense.
At one itime the free ballot was the
brightest and most alluring hope ever held
out to humanity. Let every corrupted
legislator, whether Senator, Representa-
tive in Congress, or member of State
Legislature, remember that he of all men
has most contributed to whatever of disap.
pointment mankind may experience by
the failure of free ballot.
The burglar is an enemy of social tran
guilty. The highwayman makes war
upon civilization, but neither of these are
menace to social order. Both the high
wayman and the murderer may possess
kind of courage which in itself is adj
mirable. The stability of government
and the perpetuity of civil liberty among
men is not menaced by the highwayman.
He is simply a menace to individual OF
personal security in rare and exceptional
cases. But the member of Congress or
the member of a Legislature, who has
bartered away percentage of the sacred
sovereignty he proposes to exercise by
incurring financial obligations, which
trammel his freedom as law-maker, OF
fetter his conscience as man, is a con-
spirator against free government thou
sand times more dangerous than all the
highwaymen, burglars and thieves that
have evermfested society.
Mr.. ingalls, denounced the millionaires
as class with no politics but plunder,
and no principle but the spoliation of the
human race. He declared that the politi-
cal power of the nation had been trans
ferred from its circumference to its center
by the recent elections. The acculnula-
ton of money in the hands of an indi-
vidual is. not in itself menace to the
perpetuity of free institutions, unless it is
used for the prostitution of Legislators
and courts. If the millionaires have any
designs upon the human race in the way
of spoliation, it is to begin with the pur.
chase OF those lichens on the body polite
who are willing TO barter their manhood
either for the emolument or the supposed
honor of a legislative position. The trans
fer of power from the circumference t.
the center will have no significance
the center is as corrupt as the circum
ference. If Mr.. ingalls, means that tn,
millionaires are the circumference ane