The morning call., 1893-09-27
THE BUYING OF OFFICES.

One Of the most promising signs of the
coming purfication in politics is the revolt
IN New York against the nomination OF j.
j. Van Allen to the mission to Italy. Mr..
Van Allen belongs to the Astor family and
is millionaire. He is in society in New
York. and is on intimate terms with Will
liam Z. Whitney, who was the manager of
MI. Cleveland's campaign last year. Be
ing desirous of residing in Italy with a
rank which would give him access to the
court. be handed Mr.. Whitney his check
for $4,000 in aid of his campaign fund on
the condition. implied if not expressed,
that if successful the President would ap-
point him Minister to Rome. When it
was understood that Mr.. Cleveland was
about to make the appointment, some of
his friends, gentlemen of high tone and
lofty principle, begged him to forbear on
the ground that. however unexceptionable
Mr.. Van Allen might be personally his
nomination under the circumstances
would be considered as equivalent to a
sale of high post in the public service.
Ii is given out that Mr.. Cleveland frankly
avOwed the bargain which Mr.. Whitney
mad made. considered himself bound by it,
and sent Mr.. Van Aliens name into the
Senate.
Prominent citizens os New York, under
the lead of Horace White OF the Post and
Mr.. Glider Of the Century, are now raising
fund Of S50,000 to repay Mr.. Van Aliens
contribution to the Democratic campaign
fund. In rendering the money they pro-
pose to ask Mr.. Van Allen to withdraw.
lie can hardly refuse to do so. No one
could expect recognition in such a society
as that of Rome with so broad brand of
corruption on bis face as Mr.. Van Allen
would have TO bear. Decency as not been
altogether banished from the world.
1t is no excuse for the parties engaged
in this transaction that under other admin
istratlons posts in the diplomatic service
and even seats in the Cabinet have been
conferred upon literal contributors to
campaign funds. Wrong is not justified
by past impunity. The very scandal
which has been created in the past by the
practice of making merchandise of public
Office is the most urgent reason for an at
tempt to cure it now. There could not be
a better occasion for turning over a new
leaf.
The GROWING danger which threatens
American institutions is the growing
pOHCl VI hcdi'u III pOIlllCS. IL Is q ROCK
upon which the republic may 20 to wreck.
No nation can live where mere money out
weighs personal worth and rich men can
buy Office as they buy yacht or a race
horse. AS between plutocracy, an aris-
tocracy or an auiocracy there is little to
choose for an ordinary citizen. They are
all equally irreconcilable with liberty. We
pity the Russian slaves of a despot; we
smile at the faulty of the English in
main tanning body of irres popsib bic and
generally incompetent hereditary legis-
latOrs; but if the time comes that we fall
under the yoke of class whose claim to
rule US is derived from the fact that they
have money or inherited a great deal of
money, the Russians and the English will
have just as good ground for plying and
smiling at Us. Paraphrasing what Cleve-
land himself said the other day, it will not
be worth while commemorating the laying
of the cornerstone of our institutions if
they are to cuminate in the enforcement
of King Moneybags. 1t is impossible TO
conduct political campaigns without the
use OF money for purposes which are legit-
innate, and it is right and proper that
citizens should contribute according to
their means. But he who couples his con-
tribution with the understanding that he
thereby acquires mortgage on the Offices
of state is nothing more nor less than an
anarchist