The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-06-08
A Growing Evil.

There seems to be q growing impression
IN the country, that the men chosen to
make laws for the people in the various
states OF the Union are not as incorrupti-
bic as they ought to be considering their
exalted position. At the close OF the ses-
sions of several of the legislatures this
year the denunciations by the public and
the press of those bodies has been more
than ordinarily severe. Charges of cor
ruption and venaIity have accompanied
and often exceeded those of stupidity and
incompetence.
The Pennsylvania legislature has been
particularly condemned by the press Of
the state for its mingled yenality and dis
regard OF duty. The charges preferred
are not from partisan sources. Repub-
licans and Democrats are alike chastised
and the papers of either party attach as
much blame to one side as to the other
They speak OF the universally admitted
growth OF corruption as painfully ex-
''more Representatives were obedient to
the corrupt orders of the lobby than have
ever before obeyed such orders;'' that
this crime has been 'tmore ostentatious
and defiant than at any time during the
last score of years;'' and that 'sthls
grave reproach applies with probably
equal force to both parties"
These structures are mild compared
with the invectives used in describing the
character OF legislatures by the press in
other states. 1t indicates both an in
crease in the tide of legislative corruption,
and of determination to expose and if
possible arrest its progress.
When legislators use corrupt means to
obtain their seats, it is not surprising
that they are open to influence of SINH
lar character when they have taken their
seats. Nor can the voters who share in
or wink at the improper means used in
elections, consistently blame or call to
account those venal representatives who
prostitute their Office for gain.
The stream does not rise higher than it's
fountain. A pure legislature will not be
the product of an impure constituency.
If the ballot is not held as sacred trust
and used in an honorable manner, the
officers placed in power by the ballot will
not be of the most exalted character.
One of the papers to which we have re-
ferred says, '"The average citizen of
Philadelphia today, taken unawares,
would be quite unable to give the name,
much less the character and qualifica-
tons, of the member of the Legislature
who represents the district in which he
lives.'' If that is true, it shows la
inevitable condition of the public mind in
the city of brotherly love. 1t is worse
than anything even alleged against the
voters of Utah. 1t indicates ignorance as
we'll as Indifference, and suggests that
voters are under the control OF the bosses
who afterwards ''run' the lobby and
manipulate the members.
No wonder, if that is the situation
among the citizens, that as Republican
paper says, ssthe sessions have been a
record OF neglect and indifference It is
reflex of the condition of the electors,
and they are fairly represented in the
halls of the legislature.
1t is essential to good government in a
republic that the masses of the citizens
take genuine interest in public affairs.
The idea that 'spolitics are filthy pool'
and decent people must not dabble in it,
is notion that must be dispelled. Pol
! itics become filthy unless handled and