The record-union., 1892-01-09


of the State OF California, in any of its
municipal and State aspects, corrupt? 1t
IS the universal belief among men that
this question may be truly answered in
the affirmative
1t is the universal belief Of mankind.
founded upon justifying evidence, that
legislation has long since ceased to pro-
coed from the unbought judgment of
patriotic men. The fundamental theory
of our Government in its representative
aspect is that men of elevated character
are to be selected to make laws for the
government of the people. In the Legis-
lature is lodged that high and broad dis
erection Of agreeing to enactments which
will promote the public welfare and con-
serve the highest interests Of all the peo-
pie The exercise of the legislative func-
ton in its truest sense, involves, first, the
ability to perceive the wants of a people;
second, familiarity with the science of
government; third, clear discernment
of the legislation proposed; fourth, hon
est and candid conclusion as to the Justice
of the measures under consideration:
fifth, untrammelled and uninfuenced
conclusions of the judgment as to the
right or the wrong of the measures under
consideration. 1t is the conclusion of the
people of the State of California that this
higher conception of legislation has ceased
to exist in this State. This is evinced in
many unmistakable ways. A recent Leg
stature squandered 81, 200, 900 in excess of
reasonable and ordinary governmental
expenditures. A more recent Legislature
was disgraced by q combination of
twenty-four Senators, a majority of the
whole body, who combined for the pur-
pose of levying blackmail upon the peo-
pie, who had chosen them to discharge
the high function of legislation for great
commonwealth. The question of fact
Did this combination actually exist? we
think has been clearly answered in the
affirmative. Corruption in legislation in
California had therefore proceeded so far
that individually corrupt members of the
Legislature no longer feared each other.
Each one in this combination was willing
10 trust his twenty-three colleagues. #
there remains a single individual in this
State who believes the condition which
this indicates can be tolerated, he is too
corrupt or careless to feel any moral alb
horrence of this great crime, or too ignor-
ant to understand its ultimate effect upon
organized society.
Christopher A. Buckley, who has be-
come both personally and intellectually
the exponent of corruption in this State.
in recent utterances justifes the corrupt
practices to which he practically pleads
guilty by declaring that the incivism of
the good citizens of California created the
opportunity. This may explain the rea-
son for the condition, but it does not in
the slightest degree justify it. Such
justification might be pleaded with equal
force by the burglar, who thinks he has
the right to rob the house when the 'front.'
door is left open or the window unffast-
sned. It is the plea of one who takes
property unlawfully which he finds UNI
projected. He takes it because the owner
is not vigilant to resist the felonious
taking. Under this species of ethics the
unguarded house, in the daytime or in
the nighttime, would be the lawful prey
of the burglar and thief No man has a
right conception of the enormity of cor
ruption in public station who does not
begin at the true initial of understanding.
that corruption in public Office is worse
than larceny, burglary or highway rob-
berry. The burglar or the highway rob-
Der is a clumsy. readily recognized
enemy of social order. The Senator in
the forum of legislation, clothed with d
high and honorable trust, is thousand
times more despicable if he accepts a
bride influencing his vote, than the