Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-04-21
DR.. Hirsch's View of Corrup-
ton in Public Office.

Selfish Politics. WAS the subject Sc
lecled by DIR. z. &. Hrscb for his SER
mon at the Temple, Indiana avenue and
Thirty-third street. fle attributed the
corruption existing in the local and
national governments to the indifference
with which politics is regarded by the
better class OF people, by those educated
in ethics and culture, and urged his
heaters not to forget that as citizens
they had public duty to perform which
required the setting sside OF their per-
sonsl interests and to see to il that the
proper men, men Of honor and educa-
ton, should DO elected to the offices 10
tbe gift Of the people
Dr.. Hirsch dwelt at greatlength upon
the right OF the Jewish pulpit TO discuss
the various forms Of municipal and ma
tional governments and to impartially
praise those who display virtue and
denounce those who harbor vice. Said
he:
Were things as they should be the
politician would be the most loyal patri-
OF. But. alas! as things are, the prac-
teal politician has the least amount! of
patriotic spirit. The practical polite
ian considers self first; the public inter-
est for the common good is with him
secondary consideration. We are all
blamable for the last too true circum-
stance. The same selfishness that is
guiding the principles Of the politicians
has been our master None of us have
time to think of the public interest. We
are so occupied vita our business affairs.
our pleasures and recreations. Not
moment is left vacant from the slavery
of our daily doings to enable us TO give
our attention to municipal government.
When such seltishness exist among us
it must necessarily generate class that,
pretending TO serve the common good.
serve themselves. When businessmen
cannot find time TO look after the poll
tics then there must rise class which
attend, after their fashion, to the public
affairs.
Here and there spasmodIc move-
ment is made at reform and occasionally
a few men are sent to the penitentiary.
This completed we return satisfied to
our business. We are ruled by dishon-
est politicians because we do not spare
time to see to it that worthy men are
elected Business engages our constant
attention.
Then there is another phase of selfish
ness which allows the pompous to per-
petrate frauds upon the government
with easy conscience. When the mer-
chant prince will undervalue his prop
erty to escape the payment of just and
public charges, leavining the public
treasury without funds to clean our
streets, why should not the poorer class
es try to escape taxation2
AS long as the intelligent and cultured
exhibit an adherence of jury duty there
will always be class of dishonest jur-
ors to accept protfered brides. We cry
out against jury fixers. at the same time
forgetting that it because we shirk
our duty that the gates are opened to
the jury bribers. The fact that we DO
not pay our just taxes opens the gates
for corruption, The boodler ii not
worse than the merchant prince who
shrinks from the payment OF just taxa
ton. They are both robbers of the
public exehequer The one steals Iii
rectly while the other performes the
theft indirectly. The merchant prime,
with his dishonest practices is the par
ent Of the thieying boodler.
Government is an art and science
The knowledge how to govern does no
J come to men while asleep. but require
! deep thought and study. This compile,