The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-21
MORAL DECADENCE.

/
ingalls, was defeated for reelection
IN the United States Senate more be-
cause he was believed to be . skep'io
than because he was not IN harilonS
with political conditions - ] scot
M. ,aa,le looked upon him AZ
~ 49, ,,,sneliever in the existence
s, sa and the uprightness Of his
s',,a,y men. His declaration that
~Puritv in politics is an irridcscent
dream, shocked the moral conscience
Of the whole country, and was regard
ed bv his constituents as an aspersion
upon their character.
The people know full well that there
is much OF corruption in politics, but
instead OF expecting their public men
to accept it as a proper condition and to
become as corrupt as the worst, they
demand of the men they have put on
the watch-towers, to give the alarm
and cry out against corruption wher-
ever it lifts its head.
The influence of Mr.. ingalls, pessi-
mistic statement is felt in all ranks, and
has given direction to the youth of
the country that has been most PERM
cious. Only few weeks ago young
man who holds minor public position
in Wake county gave utterance to a
code of morals that would have been
worthy of Ingalls,. Tt is a good imita-
ton of the Kansas pessimist. DO
others or they will do YOU" was his
expression.
The Springfield Republican of re-
cent date, under the heading ingalls,
has a Rival in Cynicism," says:
Here is bit of political cynicism
which has not been equalled since In
gals put forth his famous aphorism
about the inconsistency between the
golden rule and politics. Some time
AGO Il. H. Van Ingen, of New York,
sued the Commercial Advertiser OF
that city for libel in accusing him Of
distributing British gold during the
campaign of 1892 for the purpose of
corruptly influencing votes in the cleo
ton Of that year. The lower court de-
clared this charge libelous and the
jury awarded the plaintiff comfort
able sum as damages. The Advertiser
appealed, and in the petition for re-
yersal of the judgment against IT de
ciares that its charge against Van
Ingen. is not libelous per Sc; that to
charge a person with raising large
sum of money to be used for the pur-
pose of buying votes and debauching
the ballot, and of being guilty Of other
lishonorabIe expedients' TO secure the
election of q candidate to Office, is not
to charge him with the commission Of
crime, or of an act which is either
dishonorable or disTeputable. John
A. CocEerill. the editor of the CONNER
cial Advertiser. went on the stand and
testified, according to Judge lngra-
hams review of the testimony, that
t.sITe aid not consider tls an outrageous
char e: that lie did not regard rs le
charge of an infamous crime; that ne a!a
not consider an attempt 30 ratse money III
England TO bay the American prcsideMtitl
election as Infamous crime; that he dtd not
consider rhat such y charge nilde AGAINST
tile plat fi1 reflected npon ltu aHd tilitt ~
did not reflect upon the plaintiffs honesty
and integrity
Just for curiosity, it would be in-
teresfing to know if this represents
the stalwart Republican ideal Of poll
teal morality as exemplified in New
York politics 2Thcre are several indica-
fions that it does, among them the
platt frauds with the enrolment lists
at the Republican primaries, and it ~
the tradition that the old machine in
that city was run on 4the CockerilI
principles. But ingalls, and he arc the
only ones who have had the courage
IL nnenlv aYn1V them"