The morning call., 1891-03-06
TO WHAT ARE We DRIFTINGe

TO WHAT ARE WE DRIFTING?
Every person in this State is interested in
the election of a United States Senator.
Well-meaning and honest men of every
shade of opinion wish to have the State
represented by person of responsibility,
at least-one who is thought TO be above
trading with bosses and betraying the pub
lie for money A feeling has been stirred
up which is likely to bear fruit in the near
future by putting down such practices.
That purchases and sales have gone on for
some time past we 90 not doubt. When
The CALL directed attention to the out
RACES which were being committed under
the Buckley regime aud gave notice that it
would work for reform it was sneered at,
for the bosses had become so entrenched in
wrong-doing that the public supposed they
could not be reached. They held the con-
ventiOns and made nominations at pleasure,
and it was asked who could dispossess
them? Moreover they had control Of the
polling places and ballot-boxes, and could
they not stuff them in case of an emergency?
THE CALL entered the contest almost alone
and with the result that Buckley's minionS
were defeated. Does any person doubt
what would have been the result had The
CALL truckled to Buckley as did most OF
the other papers? In this city surely had
it not been for THE CALL Buckley'S candi-
dates would have held control. What next?
Every person of intelligence realizes that it
has been said over aud over again that
money would purchase the Uaited States
Senatorship. De Young has said that he
could purchase it by paying $4,000. Was
not such an assertion made in the Chronicle
as coming from him? VIII he be able to
purchase it? Possibly De Young has been
so successful il making politicians truckle
to him that he believes he can purchase
anything he pleases. He may suppose that
inasmuch as the services Of his paper
could be bought everybody and everything
can be bought. We shall see. We com
menced this article in order to copy por-
ton of an editorial which appeared in the
Record Union on Thursday yesterday. 1t
reads as follows:
There are many rumors coupling the names of
candidates with practices in this connection (the
election Of a SENATOR as back as treason 10
human liberty. The corruption Of a member Of
Legislature under democratic institutions IS
conspiracy against lie perpetuation of eivil lib
eIty and an obstacle to progress in that direc-
ton worse than auy treason ever altemmed, and
more nsldious ana dangerous in its effects than
all tue opposition which Imperialism has brought
to bear. The man who has purchased the vote
OF a member of the Legislature, or the man who
las sold his vote may deem themselves respect
able citizens, but their responsibility is main
tanned only by c0uceament OF their conduct
They are respectable only because they have
been pursuing d course OF undeiected cIme
and there is no difference whatever between the
moral quality Of him who buys and him who
sells this species OF sia. Nor VIII the people OF
tuls country long Tolerate practices of this char
acter. For the past twenty i've years corruption
in high places has augmented until tile very
verge of public patience has been reached. The
great canons OF thought on the subject Of official
purity have not, however, changed. Those ele-
ments Of virtue III national existence upon which
this country must depend for The perpetuity OF
its Institutions, aad preservation of civil liberty
and the progress of civilization among mankind,
have not been debauched or prosttuted. The
masses of men who do not enter the political
arena to engage in the struggle for the spells Of
Office or the empty honor OF political distinction,
abstain chiefly because they are indifferent to
the political course Of the country long as il :
kept within certain limit OF reasonably good
government. But II The Office OF United States
Senator in The present Instance, or any future
Instance, is TO be placed at auction we believe ii
TO be the full determination OF The people Of Call
fornia 10 prevent the successful bidder from
enjoying the fruits OF his crime. That result can
be very easily accomplished, because exposure
will be certain. There is no idle bravado nor
meaningless thrt at in these expressions. We
are rejoiced TO know that they are Justified by
unmstakable indications OF which we have
ample evidence.
This extract has the true RUG. 1t is
what every honest man in the State in
dorses; yet what has San Francisco been
doing for some time past in regard to its
elections? The people have looked quietly on
while few plunderers have placed in Office
men of their stamp. Newspapers have been
used to back up the plundererS, but there
are now more hopeful signs in the distance.