The morning call., 1892-11-18
AN HONEST MAN.

A case recently reported in the Pennsyl-
vania papers deserves 10 be noticed as an
encouragement TO young men who propose
TO try to lead honest lives. The estate Of
the late Samuel j. Randall was in the Pro
bate Court. and the court found that after
payment of the funeral expenses and few
small debts there was not enough left to
pay the costs of an accounting.
Samuel j. Randall had been twenty-eight
years in Congress when he died. During
large portion of this time lie had been an
Influential leader of bis party. He repre-
sented the only Democratic district in the
city OF Philadelphia district which would
have been Republican but for the personal
popularity Of Mr.. Randall He became
chairman of the Committee on Appropria-
lions in 1876 and held that post till he was
chosen Speaker. In both capacities he had
control of large expenditures by Govern
ment. Millions were appropriated every
year by his authority. 1t rested mainly
with him TO say what applicant for public
bounty should get what he asked for and
who should not The chairman of the
Committee on Appropriations can make his
fortune in single term, il he is so minded
and If he is adroit the chances of his de-
tectlon are small. Any one can name at
least one prominent political leader who
went 10 Congress penniless and is now a
millionaire.
Mr.. Randall lived on his own Congress
sional pay. occupying A modest room In a
boarding house. He did not entertain be-
cause he could not afford il. and he was
slow to accept offers of hospitality which
be could not return. His political situation
was difficult. He was stalwart, unflinch-
ing Democrat. But, being Pennsylvania,
he was a protrctionist. There never was
but one public man in Pennsylvania who
inclined to free trade. That was George
Miflin Dallas, and him they burned in
effigy.
The recent debates on the tariff placed
Randall in antagonism to his own party.
He voted for the tariff of 1883. and against
the Morrison and the Mills bills, carrying
with him enough Democrats to give the Re-
publIcans majority of the House. This,
of course, grievously incensed his fellow
Democrats; it led to breach between him
and Mr. Cleveland. But the sterling CON-
nonsense of the member from Philadelphia,
and his spotless integrity. gave him such
personal strength that the Southern free
traders did not dare to break with him. He
was no orator. But when he spoke every
one knew that he meant what he said, and
on all points. In politics nothing is more
potent than sincerity. People forgive
man who is honestly wrong; but they have
no mercy for time-seryers.
RandaiPs poverty is proof that public
men are not as corrupt as ignorant people
often imagine. 1t is quite likely that his
was not an exceptional case. Shallow OBJ
servers and catch-penny writers discuss
Public affairs as though every public man
was knave. But. in fact, the members of
either house whose vote may be swayed by
corrupt considerations are a small minority
Men who were rogues before election do not
always cease to be rogues after they take
their seat The responsibility for their
roguery rests on the people who elected
them. Most candidates for Congress must
have clean record or they will be left at
the election; and when men OF clean records
get to Washington they find that the at
mosphere breathed by the leading men in
both parties is calculated to brace up their
instincts of probity.