Connecticut western news., 1892-11-10
blow un the whole field.

pAk1W up tu6 WIlDQ6 u6lu.
 The first evil that threatens the anni- hilation of our American institutions is the fact that political bribery, which once was considered a crime, has by many come to be considered tolerable virtue. There is legitimate use of money in elections, in the printing of po- htical tracts, and in the hiring of public halls, and in the obtaining of campaign oratory, but is there any homunculus who supposes that this vast amount of money now being raised by the political parties is going in legitimate direction? The vast majority of it will go to buy votes.
 Hundreds and thousands of men will have set before them so much money for a Republican vote, and so much money for Democratic vote, and the superior financial inducement will de- eide the action. You want to know which party will carry the doubtful states day after tomorrow. 1 will tell you. The party that spends the most money. This moment while 1 speak the peddlers carrying gold from Wall street, gold from Third street, gold from State street and gold from the Brewers association, are in all the political head quarters of the doubtful states, dealing out the infamous inducement.
 There used to be bribery; but it held its head in shame. It was under the utmost secrecy that many years ago a railroad company bought up the Wis consin legislature and many other pub lie officials in that state. The governor of that state at that time received $50,- 900 for his signature. His private sec retary received 5000. Thirteen mem bers of the senate received $175,000 among them in bonds. Sixty members of the other house received from 5000 to $10,0 ,0O0 each. The lieutenant govern or received $10,000. The clerks of the house received from $5 ,O00 to $10,000 each. The bank comptroller received $10,OO0. 1.-Two hundred and fifty thou sand dollars were divided among the lobbyists. You see the railroad compa- ny was very generous. But all that was hidden, and only through the se- vereet scrutiny on the part of a legisla- tive committee was this iniquity dis played. Now political bribery defies you, dares you, is arrogant, and will probably decide the election next Tues day.
 Unless this diabolism ceases in this country Bartholdi's statue on Bedloe's island, with uplifted torch to light other nations into the harbor, had better be changed and the torch dropped as a symbol of universal incendiarism.
 REFORM OR PERISH!
 Unless this purchase and sale of suf- frage shall cease the American govern ment will expire, and you might as well be getting ready the monument for an- other dead nation and let my text in scribe upon it these words, "Alas. alas, for Babylon, that great city, that mighty city, for in one hour is thy judgment comer" My friends, if you have not no- ticed that political bribery is one of the ghastly crimes of this day, you have not kept your eyes open. ....-
 Another evil threatening the destruc- tion of American institutions is the solid flying of the sections against each other. A solid north. A solid south. If this goes on we shall, after awhile, have 8 solid east against solid west; we shall have solid middle states against solid northern states; we shall have a solid New York against solid Pennsylvania, and solid Ohio against solid Ken lucky. It is twenty seven years since the warcloud, and yet at every presi- dential election the old antagonism is aroused. When Garfield died, and all the states gathered around his casket in sympathy and in tears, and as hearty lola Orleans and from Charleston as from Boston and Chicago, said to myself, II think sectionalism is dead" But, alas, mol Tho difficulty will never be ended until each state of the nation is split up into two or three great political parties.
 This country cannot exist unless it ex- ists as one body, the national capital the heart, sending out through all the arte- ries of communication warmth and life to the very extremities. This nation cannot exist unless it exists as one family, and you might as well have solid brothers against solid sisters, and solid bread tray against solid cradle, and solid nursery against solid dining room, and you might as well have solid ears against solid eyes, and solid head against solid foot. What is the interest of Georgia is the interest of Massachusetts; what is the interest of New York is the interest of South Carolina. Does the Ohio river change its politics when it gets below Louisviller It is not possible for these sectional antagonisms to continue for 6 great many years without permanent compound fracture.
 Another evil threatening the destruc- tion of our American institutions is the low state of public morals.
 What killed Babylon of my text2 What killed Phaniciaa What killed Romep Their own depravity, and the fraud, and the drunkenness, and the lech- cry which have destroyed other nations will destroy ours unless merciful God prevent. To show you the low state of | public morals, have to call your atten- | ton to the fact that many men nomi- | mated for offices in different states at diff | ferent times are entirely unfit for the | positions for which they have been nom- mated.
 DEGRADATIoNS OF POLITICS. They have no more qualification for | them than a wolf has qualification to be professor of pastoral theology in flock | of sheep, or a blind mole has qualifca- tion to lecture class of eagles on optics, | or than vulture has qualification to | chaperon a dove. The mere pronuncia- l ton of some of their names makes de- mand for carbolic acid and fumigationl | Yet Christian men will follow right on | under the political standards.
 have to tell you what you know
 already, that American politics have
 sunken to sucs low depth that there is nothing beneath. What we see in some
 directions we see in nearly all directions.
 The peculation and the knavery hurled
 to the surface by the explosion of banks