The age-herald., 1898-01-13
ETCHINGS FROM
 CURRENT TOPICS.

The election of M A Hanna as United States senator from Ohio, brings again to public consideration the dangerous use of money in the politics of the republic
 The recent campaign in Ohio, regardless of personal predictions and party affila- tions, must be stamped as a shameless ex- hibition of human weakness and depravity.
 The votes of men of social and business position were bought with campaign poodle with the same ease that one purchases garment
 Previous honorable records were blasted by the golden gleam of the Hanna purse. Men sold their votes and their reputation as they would vend produce, or cattle. Every legislator seemed to be labelled with a price value and the election of a senator of the United States depended upon the ability of the candidate to furnish the nec- essary funds to buy the requisite votes. The country has never witnessed more scan- dalous exhibition of the greed for gold, and the depravity of human nature, than the election of Marcus A. Hanna furnished few days ago, at Ohio's capital.
 The story of Representative Griffith is well known to the newspaper readers or the day. How he was tempted by Hanna's party leaders, Wll0 HlOIley OllciS, ho" iAS was secreted in hotel. and guarded by Hanna opponents. for fear that he would yield and ignominiously join the enemy's forces, and thereby add to the certainty or Hanna's election and beyond. and above all else, how his brave, hone t-hearted wife stood unfiinchingiy by him and struggled to hold him true to principle, and party convictions Mrs. Griffith stands out as of r,1ap blp camDaign. She it was who resented the suggestion of bribery for her husband, and she it was who remained firm and unyielding-true to her political faith-whie strong men fell by the wayside, too weak, too ignoble to resist the power of gold.
 Men may say what they please Of wo- mans fitness for the field of politics, phys ically and mentally, but Mrs. Grifhth's glorious record is positive proof that polit- ical morals would be improved by the intro duction of the feminine element into public affairs.
 MT. Griffith at last sold his vote for a mess of pottage, but of Mrs. Griffith it shall eyer be told that there was not rponey enough in Ohio to cause her to defect for a moment from the straight path of moral and political rectitude.
 The present debasement of politics is the greatest argument ever offered in favor of female suffrage.
 The insolence of money, the appalling effrontery of gold. is bringing the people of these United States closer and closer to condition which signifies change, call it by whatever name one desires.
 tF
 When principle is to be subordinated to the purchasing power of any man or set of men, it is high time that the people arise in the might of their power and with their votes reegate these bribers to an obscurity, from whence there can be no hope of resur- rection. With the growth of corporate in- fluence and with the accumulation >of mill lions by few individuals there has come to the republic an estimation of all ques- tons according to a money value. It is no longer matter of right, but one of might, and the might is furnished by the dollars of corporations or cliques. According to the ethics of themoney power, there is no character impeachable, no vote unpurchas- able. The arrogance of money needs to be rebuked, and rebuked speedily by the hon. est American voters.
 There is no room in the republic for poli- ticans of Mark Hanna's stamp, nor for vascillating voters of Representative Grif- fith's order But a few more Mrs. Griffths would surround American politics with purer atmosphere and elevate the standard of American statesmanship.
 The distressing poverty of the great masses of the people stands out in startling contrast to the profigate use of gold, few days ago in Oho
 Such occasions are but hurrying on to fulfllment the predictions of the wise ob servers of the present trend of events. There is coming a time when the limit of the money power shall be reached, and 1t is a future no man can read BALL.