The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-30
THE cycLio THEORY OF SCANDALS.

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THE CYCLIC THEORY OF SCANDALS.
Buckles theory that all human hap
borne out in the history of government
scandals. The wholesale bribery and
corruption OF government officials in
France is but a repetition OF the past.
1t is a recurrence like the Asiatic chol-
era, or other epidemics which periodi-
cally return. The East India company
and it's gigantic operations are still re-
numbered by older readers. 1t seemed
as though the corruption attending this
corporation was so deep seated that the
entire English nation was hopelessly I'M
dermined; but the people Of England
rose against the debauchers and nearly
crushed them out of existence. The
corporation Of the city OF London was
another institution that %corruptly OBJ
tanned parliamentary franchises, and
the entire government seemed to be
thoroughly tainted with r%ottenness.
Things got SO bad that an investigation
was ordered. 1t was established that
the speaker of the house of commons,
Sir John Trevor, had taken a bride OF
$1,000. His salary as speaker was
$4,000. He had spent 10000. He was
expelled from parliament, having peer
required to put the question OF his W
expulsion himself. 1t appeared that
the East India company had disbursed,
through the hands of the governor,
Sir Thomas Cook, about half q million
OF our money to get a renewal OF Its
charter from parliament. Who got that
money? Cook refused to tell and was
sent to the tower. Being threatened
with the passage Of an act holding him
liable for the money he had expended,
he made a partial confession which i'm
plicated the duke Of Leeds, who was
lord president and one of the most pow
erful personages in the kingdom. He
was impeached. Henry Guy, secretary
of the treasury was convicted of having
accepted q paltry bride of $1,000; he was
SEM to the tower. Duncombe, cashier
of excise, was convicted OF receiving the
public income in a currency which was
worth par and paying the creditors in
%exchequer bills which were at a dis
count; the difference going into his W
pocket; he was jailed. But not until he
had furnished evidence that his chief,
the chancellor of the exchequer, Mon
tague, had been allowed by the king to
take for himself 10000 worth of securi-
ties which had been forfeited to the
brown.
Even in our own country we have not
been exempt from these scandals. The
whisky ring of Grants administration,
which led to the very door Of the White
house, and involved one of the presi-
dents secretaries, and some Of his near
est friends, is we'll remembered; so is
the Credit Mobiler which ruined the
regulations of leading members Of the
senate and house of representatives.
The great canal ring frauds of New
York which Npermeated the entire state
will also be recalled. In each of these
cases the guilty men were disgraced and
driven from power and a better admin
istration of affairs followed.
If there were more confidence in the
the temperament of the French people,
and their republic were more stable, we
should have nc reason to doubt that
France would come out of the present
crisis over the Panama canal affair, pur-
fled and strengthened. Corruption has
been just as deep seated at other times,
in other countries, and it has been cut
out without destroying the body polite.
France will be all right if her people
Laap THAR baads