The Irish standard., 1895-02-16
HE POINTS OUT SOME FAULTS
Of Political Life in This Country
Which, He Says, Are Faults Of :.
Popular Liberty.

perfect or progressive as everything Brit
ish? Mr.. w Benn, M. p, is reported as
saying that "a!l politicians lin the States)
shared in corruption" Surely this is
either senseless statement or an excess
OF ordinary English phsrisaism. The
American Ambassador in Lopdon is q
politician. So is President Cleveland,
General Harrison, Mr. Levi Morton, and
scores OF other prominent men Of the
Great Republic. Are all these to be
dubbed as corrupt because, IN com-
paratively few instances some politicians
of the baser kind have traded upon their
representative positions? To imagine
for moment that 100000 of people
better educated than any other nation IN
the world--ere openly tolerating univer-
sal corruption in all Federal, State and
municipal government, is simply assum-
ing tnat these 60,0O0,000 are either
criminals or fools.
Because New York and Chicago have
exhibited, in some instances, gross mu-
nicipal corruption-corrupti however,
invariably followed by the punishment
of Imprisonment, or of political or social
ostracism, meted out to the guilty per-
sons-we are asked to conclude that
every city, great and small, in the States
stands in need of Lexow committee
and exposure! This is superlative ab-
surdity, seasoned with that amount Of
ignorance and conceit which makea your
English critic impervious to ridicule
when he rides the high horse Of British
superiority There is nothing hid from
public knowledge in America. Every
venal political sin of every politician,
every sob" or Doodle transaction Of every
c ,rporation, is mercilessly exposed by
the most trenchant and remorseless
press in she world It ia simply imposs-
ible tor public wrong Going to escape
detection and denunciation at the hands
OF this mighty journalistic detective
agency which serves the people and tbs
interests OF honest government while
catering for the biggest newspaper read
Ing nation in existence. In face of these
facts, how many more municipalities
beyond those referred to, and how many
politicians have come before the bar Of
universal public opinion for condemna-
tion in recent years? Considering the
population, extent and diverse national
tiles Of the United States, I venture to
answer comparatively few" One New
York does not make an America, nor do
hale a dozen political Jabez Balfours
convict all the politicians Of the Republic
as rogues and boodlers.
The pursuit of this almighty dollar"
is, of course, noted American failing
As MIR. Beam went to the States ''to see
the sons and daughters Of England at
tending to their national business there,
he is naturally disgusted at find ng that
they have fallen away from the altruistlc
standard of the "Manchester school, and
the high moral level OF British and
Anglo Irish landlordism. There is moth
ing low or mercenary, moan Or grasp
ing, in the pursuit Of c d in England;
neither IN the sweating dens of the East
end of London OF in connection with the
chain making of Cradiey Heath. Might
we not send out special mission to
America from the employers of these
and other places in Great Britain with,
say, the Most Noble the Marquis of
Clauricarde thrown in as moral make
weight, just 10 teach "England's sons
and daughters" how to make money in
accordance with the principles of the
Property Defense League?
Such mission would find some things
connected with the affairs of the great
Republic which would excite additional
English pity and sermonizing. 1t would
be found that American. workingmen do
not allow their sisters, daughters or wives
to act as barmaids in saloons or in sini-
lar places. The reactionary opinion OF
the States is dead against this (Englishl
system of pursuing the almighty dollar
by methods which too often make the
comely drinkseller's wage earning the
prelude to life of misery and shame.
It would be found too that these univer-
sally corrupt municipal, State and Fedora,