Evening journal., 1894-10-18
MURRAY ON BRIBERY.
The Presiding Elder Addresses
the Young Men.
HIS SUBJECT IS A TIMELY ONE


His Remarks Are Apropoa Of the Pres
ent Political Campaign in This state.
Bribery Sin Against God and Man"
Presiding Elder w. L, s Murray
delivered lecture Of Bribery. before the
students Of the Goldey Wllmin gton
Commercial College this afternoon. He
said
THE State Institute for public school
teachers held In Dover October och TO
18th. was perhaps the largest meeting Of
the kind ever held In the state There
were about five hundred teachers. the
three county superIntendents, and an
able staff also Of instructors and
lecturers.
"A lady instructor stated that q young
man had recently said to her chat be
expected to vote soon AMI he would take
ten dollars for his vote. The statement
was also made that he was Of an old
family Of good standing.
"Ihe remark set me to thinking. I
wondered whether he really meant it.
Then again | wondered whether there
we're not other young men who would
sell their votes, yea and older men also.
| asked myself the question. What Is
selling a voter Il is taking bribe
What Is buying a voteg It is giving a
bribe. Is there any harm in either or
botb2
after having given this subject
careful consideration, and having con
suited number Of authorities, and
especially the greatest authority. Gods
holy Word, am convinced that Bribery
Is a sin against God and man, ain
against which,atates provide penalties and
the divine law hurlB its anathemas Il Is
one Of the greatest sins Of modern times
which on the one hand has its source In
/ the love Of money, the root Of evil and
the other in the love Of power, source
i OF corruption. IL Is a career on our
body polite unless drawn out or pre-
vented flom striking its roots deeper
into the vitals Of our state and National
/ government
I'VE had about as well begin TO look
for the end, for II was not Philips army
that took the cities Of Greece, but Philips
/ gold. Ayarice and luxury have been the
ruin Of every great state Babylon, Israel,
Rome, Tbebes, Carthage, all show
that wealth has no conserving
power, but on the other hand
possesses the element Of destruction.
So prevalent has this great sin become,
and IL is 80 winked vt by the people,
that there Is a popular belief that every
man has his price. While We believe
this 10 be a slander upon brave men who
are good and true. yet we are persuaded
hat there are many who do have their
pliee and II presented IN the right way
will bow down before the golden calf.
THE source Of our governmental
authority Is In the people--the voters,
who are sovereigns Ia Republican forms
OF government. To corrupt g voter is to
corrupt king II we pollute the sourco
we befoul the stream Let as look at this
for moment. Where do we find our
law makersg Are they not among the
votersg Is 1t not true that they often
buy their way and purchase place on
the tickets, presented to the people, and
will il not follow that he who has
corrupted others to enable him to reach
position, may be- II not always, at least
in nine cases In ten-corrupted In his
Office
What means that report Of a certain
legislature by Josiah stroug ina littla
book entitled OR Country when The
lobbyist said We have spent. $100. 600 to
Influence legislation and but few me IL
were found who would not tske brbe
These men who made the laws were
voters-representative of the voters
While, the stream cannot rise higher
than its source it may and often does
sink lower. There is, however, no need
for specializing. IL does not stop here
but enters our courts of justice and
seeks to corrupt the Jurors and with u
golden sword seek TO slay the Judges
upon the bench. Historians give ac.
count of cases where even lord chancel-
lors have heen bribsd and chief justices
bought and Jurors have had such Itching
palms that for few shekels these Shy.
locks have delivered an unjust verdict
"A lawyer told me, not long ago, that
there was scarcely jury trial, where
large sum Of money was involved, but
that there was fear, and well grounded
fear, that jurors might be bought. There
are many already who have lost faith In
trials by jury. II bribing becomes much
more powerful the system may have 70
be abandoned altogether. This may sound
pesslmistic but ! ask in all candor, do
! not the facts brought to light warrant itl
Benedict Arnold has been called a
traitor for selling his country for $40 600
and brigsdier's commission and Msjor
John Andri, under the stern code Of war,
was hanged for giving the bribe Well
foE the forces Of Washington that the
plot was discovered and the perpetrators
punished, but how many plot against
good government who are not eaughtland
|, who are never punished
There ought to be such an outcry
against this kind Of corruption that not
man on election day would dare to offer
bribe nor voter think Of accepting
one Bribery should not be named By
lobbyists In halls Of legislation excepted
to be scorned. 1t should be driven from
all courts Of justice-that the eyes
of the judge may not be blinded
thereby that the poor may not be turned
, aside from his rights in the gates
! "Men who have any sense Of honor
! should shake their hands Of byibes aud
turn from them as dove turns from
carrion or lamb from gar aibsge. He who
gives bribe is just as cnlpable as he
who takes 10. Young gentlemen keep
your record clean