Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-11-24
CORRUPTION FUNDS
AND THEIR USES.
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Ambrose Bierce, IN Denver Postl
/ think / can understand and feel
some sympathy with the Indignation
Of the man who points out the corrupt
use Of money 20 defeat his political
party It is righteous Indignation.
True, the man does not commonly know
anything about what he points out un-
less he has himself taken some OF the
money.
Men who use money cOrruptly are
rogues. but. as .ruls, not fools. except
In the general sense that all rogues are
fools. for no folly Is greater than that OF
dishonesty. Individually the rascal who
tries 10 carry an election by the He
climate use OF money Is a Ounce OF
magnitude. but indubitably his stupid
lty does not find expression In taking
into his confidence anybody but the per-
sons who get the money. And these do
not tell How, then, excepting In rare
instances " planned exposure or con-
fession under pressure do the others
know about it? They do not, they
merely suspect. Almost all the talk Of
bribery" the purchase OF votes, and
so forth. has no foundation In known
fact. ] do not say that the fact does
not exist only that It's existence IL sell
dom known to the tCuser. who. II re-
quired 10 make good his accusatlon-as
be might be II he had not the prudence
20 be rather would be missed for
season from his customary environ
mcnt
The corrupt use Of money 10 carry an
election is "a thing easy 10 affirm II Is
one Of the cheapest and handiest argu-
menLs against the opposing party.
Anybody can use IL; no thought no
knowledge no mental ability Is re-
Qured Il Is as serviceable to the pO-
litiCal peasant as 20 the scholar and
statesman. Like bad LANGUAGE and
those ugly nicknames which have no
special personal appropriateness. 10 Is
free 20 an. and, Ike them. has the
merit OF a general applicability which
tits it Tor as effective use against the
managers Of one political party as those
NJ another. II Is a dead cat that any
hand can ding into any crowd.
say ] can understand and sympa-
thize with the indignation Of "a man
making that accusatiOn--if he Is sim
cere. what J do not understand Is his
amazing choice of a political party
upon which to empty The walls of bis
wrath. he Is always mad at the
wrong one. u he viii have the good
ness 90 loan me his attention ] viii try
10 make this as clear 20 him as the use
% some words OF more than one sylla-
bic VIII permit.
Let me be- frank The advantage Of
these remarks 10 they have any wlll
nee ssarily accrue 20 the Republican
party That party has the most money.
therefore. probably the largest cam
paign fund
That this fund Us as great. or nearly
as great. or tenth part as great as the
Democratic writer's and speakers say Il
is. there o. no reason whatever tu sup-
pose These gentlemen have access tO
all The resources of arithmetic t1 assist
them in stating its amount and to none
OF the books which might euahl. them
90 state 10 correctly u they wanted 90,
and they are in no apprehension ~ dis
proof Under these circumstance II
would De strange indeed. % they did
not permit Imagination go fy with q
free ma joyous wing Nor are they I'm
possession of any proof whatever that
the money ig used or Is % De used.
more corruptly than the campaign fund