The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1892-12-31

urrnrnanu1runn
trophe be averted. Thu atom q abor
to go to the baliot-box to exercise IL
right OF suffrage, and I propose to q
before you the evils that threaten
destroy the American government an
to annihilate American institution.
and If God win help me win show 70
before / get through the mode in whic
each and everyone may do somethin
to arrest that appalling calamity. An
shall plow the whole field
The first evil that threatens the an
Inhalation of our American institution
is the fact that political bribery whicl
once was considered a crime, has b.
many come to be considered tolera bl
virtue. There is q legitimate use o
money in elections, in the printing O
political tracts, and in the hiring o
public halls, and in the obtaining o
campaign oratory; but is there an,
homonculus who supposes that thi
vast amount of money now being raised
by the political parties is going in lie
Ultimate direction? The vast majorit,
OF it will go to buy votes. Hundred.
and thousands of men will have Sc,
before them so much money for re.
publican vote, and so much money fol
democratic vote, and the superior
financial iuducement will decide the
action. You want to know which
party will carry the doubtful states day
after tomorrow? will tell you. The
party that spends the most money.
This moment, while l speak, the ped
dlers carrying gold from Wall street,
gold from Third street, gold from
State street, and gold from the Brew
ers' association, are in all the political
headquarters of the doubtful states,
dealing out the infamous inducement
There used to be bribery, but it held
its head in shame. 1t was under the
utmost secrecy that many years ago
a railroad company bought up the
Wisconsin legislature and many other
public officials in that state. The gov
ernor of the state at that time received
fifty thousand dollars for his signature.
His private secretary received five
thousand dollars. Thirteen members
OF the senate received seventy-five thou
sand dollars among them in bonds.
Sixty members of the other. house re-
ceived from five thousand to ten thou
sand dollars each. The lieutenant gov
ernor received ten thousand dollars.
The clerks of the house received from
live thousand to ten thousand dollars
each. The bank comptroller received
ten thousand dollars. Two hun
dred and fifty thousand dol
lars were divided among the
lobbyists. You see. the railroad COM
pany was very generous. But all that
vas hidden. and only through the Sc
7erest scrutiny on the part of legisla-
i've committee was this iniquitv dis
played. Now, political bribery defies
'ou, dares you, is arrogant, and will |
probably decide the election next Tues
Law.
Unless this diabolism ceases in this |
ountry, Bartholdi's statue on Bedloe's
sland. with uplifted torch to light |
Their nations into our harbor, had bet
er be changed, and the torch dropped
symbol of universal incendiarism.
Unless this purchase and sale of suf-
rage shall cease, the American govern
lent will expire, and you might as
'ell be getting ready the monument
,r another dead nation. and let INV
,xt inscribe upon it these words.
Alas! alas! for Babylon, that great
ty, that mighty cry, for one hour is
" Judgment come" My friends, if
ou have not noticed that political brib-
y is one of the CHASTITY crimes of this
~, you have not kept your eyes open.
Another evil threatening the destruc-
on OF American institutions is the
'lidifylng of the sections against
her. A solid north. A solid south.
this goes on we shall have, after a | ,
lille, have solid east against a solid ,
est, we shall have solid middle states :
'ainst solid northern states, we shall
I'VE solid New York against a solid !
'nnsylvania, and solid Ohio against !
solid Kentucky. 1t is twenty-seven I
ars since the war-cloud, and yet at
cry presidential election the old an :
gonism is aroused. When Garfield
I'd and all the states gathered around .
casket in sympathy and in tears, :
d as hearty kilograms Of coincidence
me from New Orleans and from
arleston as from Boston and Chicago .
aid to myself: II think sectionalism
dead" But alas! no. The difficulty &
II never be ended until each state of !;
nation is split up into two q
three great political parties. This =
intry can not exist unless it exists l.
one body, the national capital the 8
art, sending out through all the ar 4
les of communication warmth and n
to the very extremities. This ma m
q can not exist unless it exists as =
family. and you might as well have :.
ID brothers against solid sisters, and n,
solid bread-tray against a solid 2,
die. and solid nursury against a u
d dining room; and you might as .;
u have solid eyes, and solid head =,
inst solid foot What is the inter- al
OF Georgia is the interest of Massa- 81
lsetts; what is the interest of New n
* is the interest of South Carolina. -
IS the Ohio river change its politics -,
en- it gets below Louisville? 1t is 81
possible for these sectional antaQon- So
$ to continue for q great inanv he
RS without permanent compound va
cture. ~
mother evil threatening the destruc- wi
as our American institutions is the 60,
state of public morals. -,
hat killed Babylon of my text? ba
~ NJ