The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-08-24
MODERN CORRUPTION.
,aaRo Storey Talks of the Anorl.
can Logialature.
The PEOPLE LOSING CONFIDENCE
Ia their own Chosen Representatives
and tho Representatives IN Ono An.
other, and tho Change of Views Is
not Altogether Observation-Disclosures
before the Bar Association.

days session ol Lle huetICUu pAt obbo'
dItIon Judge MoorHeId Storey made
Tho principal address, his subject bcInQ
.Srbs American Legislature" He said
changes arc tekingplace In our theories
Of government, which we caunot afford
N ignore. When We remember the
wonderful exhibition nt Chicago which
crowned tho civilization OF 400 year,
and contrast tho splendid prospects
upon which our eyes rested q year age
Nth the scenes Of bloodShed and con
asgratlon ia the same city during the
conflict, whose echoes arc even now
ringing in our ears, wo may vol inquire
what the change means.
Every observer OF our political his.
tory during tho last twenty years must
have been struck with tho change
which has taken place in tho attitude oil
our people toward the fundamental
principles OF our government. Large
bodies Of our fellow citizens insist that
because thoy choose not TO work no one
else shall work in their place; that
every man who wishes to follow n cor.
tain trade shall Join an association
which they form and submit his liberty
10 i.s control, or elso abandon his call
ing, and that II o man refuses TO employ
them on terms which they dictate lie
shall employ no onoolIe. Upon claims
Ike these are Justified the efforts to
prevent tho employment OF non-uuiou
men by refusing TO work with them,
By boycotting employers who allow
them 10 work, and by murderouS at
tacks upon them when thoy take tho
place Of strikers.
Evils OF ULTRA PARTIsAEIsH.
Respect for tho result Of elections
seems to DO disappearing, and political
partisans are ready apparently to 70.
sort to any expedIentt to enable Thorn to
retain or to acquire powor. There 10 to
b. hoard every day adverse comment
regarding. Congress, state legislatures,
city aldermen aud counciImen, and dis.
trust OF their acts is generally felt.
For my present purpose mention II
as evidence that tho leading members
Of tho house OF representatives do not
trust that body. and frame their rules
accordingly. Loss OF faith In repro.
sentative government loss OF faith in
tho people themselves, and this fooIiug
really los at tho root OF the changes
In public opinion on fundamental
principles which ] have noted,
Bribery IA made the excuse for an
archy. Tho danger against which We
guard In constitutions. and which in
conversation We recognize and deplorc,
ia tho danger that private interests can
afford TO pay for the privileges which
they seek, prices which tho ordinary
legislator cannot refuse.
In many states certainly thero has
grown up an irresponsible body be.
tween tho people and their representa-
tives which undertakes to soil legis.
la.ion and finds the business extremely
profitable. When tho Legislature meeta
each professional lobbyist has body OF
members who will listen readily TO his
advice, aud whose votes he can infiu'
ence to q greater or less extent. Certain
large corporations which are likely to
DO interested in legislation adopt the
same methods OF selecting representa-
tives, and each has its
couoRr OF DISCIPLINED SUPPORTERS.
Tho issues upon which these repro
geutatives have been chosen have played
no part in the campaign, have been dis
guessed in no political meetings, have
attracted no public attention. The real
question that Is to divide the legisla'
ture which they choose is whether, ono
party or another shall acquire the right
10 control the streets OF some great city.
The lobbyist also plays prominent
part in tho selection OF the speaker Of
The house, and pays well Tor 1t, the
private or personal interests at stake
being sometimes enormous, and tho
corruplible Lawmakers greatly profit
by the transaction.
Committee decisions arc also affected
BY these evil agencies and 1t is only
alter some designing bill L. fayorably
reported that the public awakens to tho
danger OF tho situation. In Congress,
too, Investigations Of alleged corruptions
arc notably fruitloss. Not criminals
alone, but mon OF wealth and standing,
for years have paid the dficcrs OF tho
law 10 neglect or discharge their duty.
Great corporations and private citizens
have mid largo sums to mon OF political
influence In return for legislative tavora
or for insurance against hostile laws,
whilo humble pcddlets have paid for
tho permission to earn their living. In
tho greatest and richest city OF our
land, tho government OF laws has given
place to
GOVERNMENT OF CORRUPTION AND BLACK
MAIL
New York has had virtue enough at
least to begin to reform, and has learned
what honest men never, sufficiently
realize how essentially qnd necessarily
weak Is any combination oil scoundreIs.
"The character Of legislators must DC
raised, and bribery stripped OF every
cloak, Public opinion must DO brought
10 recognize tho truth that II ia not the
comparatively poor, weak and oiton IN.
educated, who receives the bride, but
tho strong, rich and nblo man, who pays,
at whose door lies tho sin Of corruption.
The tom pter Is as bad as tho men whom
he tennis, II wo cut OF tho fountain,
tho riyulet ceases to flow. 1t is tho
pocket from which tho money comes at
which we must striko ii corruption Is to
DO staid. Tho public must realize the
truth that tho man, who knowingly ON
pIoys dishonest agent, gives him
money 10 accomplish an object anu
closed his eyes to everything but the re-
suit 10 Just as guilty Of oyory corrupt act
which that agent docs rs II ho did 1t
himself.
between labor and capital, which arc