The representative., 1900-11-08
MONEY IN IT
= =
FRANK BURKI1F DISCUSSES THE
FINANCIAL roDsIBILITIEs IN
MODERN ROLITIGs.
(Okolona Messenger.1 II


# MODERN POLITIGs.
(Okolona Messenger.) IL
The more closely one is identified with
the workings of American politics, - 20
generally practiced by the average poli-
tician or any or all parties the more
strongly grows his desire, II he - honest
and loves his country, to retire to some
the bosom Of mother earth .and gather
year by year a suficiency to supply nis
wants, without knowing or seeing what
Is going on in the great struggle Of ma
tional life, political. We are just now
approaching the close of one Of the most
closely contested national campaigns
that has ever gone to make up part Of
the political history Of the United States.
and in 1t is being developed trend Of
selashness, of individual planning. Who'll
ly regardless of what the result may
bring to the masses, the inner workings
OF which, ii known to the general pub
lie, would form basis for more gen
eral contempt than has ever before been
cngendered in the same manner
The people are beginning to under
stand that the aims and purposes of
the politician in any party are purely
personal. the exception being 10 rare
that ofttimes it 10 not apprehanded at
all. 1t is almost universally conceded
that when a man once chooses politics
as profession, he bids farewell to any
idea OF regarding his promises as bind
ing, his acts as personally censurable.
He is afoat upon the soa Of grab and
holds everything in reach, and his time
is 90 constantly occupied in watching
for his own opportunities that he gives
no thought to any result which his ac-
tions may bring upon the public in gem
eral. or to the country he should love
and defend at all hazards. 49,.
Lest the purposes of this article may
be misunderstood, 1t h confined to the
discussion OF the situation in general
terms, but when the election is over, it
Will be the purpose Of the, Messenger
to cite some individual instances of
treachery and debauchery OF trust on the
part of men who would pose as angels of
mercy clothed In downy: robes, II by SO
doing they could see the. most remote
advantage in pecuniary- way.
1t is not entirely out, of.plaee to sug.
Sest here and now that ma political ora
ganization is entirely free from ..tha
abuses OF that class of men who would
push themselves to the front as leaders.
for no other purpose than to get into
position to gather money for themselves.
They even, at times, aspire to reach the
highest position of honor that a party
can confer upon them, and then in such
glar1ng manner. as to bring upon their
heads the contempt Of all honest men.
subject the party and all who have hon
ored them to humiliation and chaerin.
1t is wonderful what destroying influence
the hope of securing money, and with 1t
the power it will buy, has wrought. The
close contact with politics in those sec
tions where money is the controlling
FACTOR, almost causes one to conclude
that there are no such thing as honest
men in political life. In the common
pariance OF the day, If man is too hon
est he saws very little ice in a heated
campaign in the United States, where the
decision is kept in the balance during
the entire campaign
Here is nation composed Of 4S states.
rich in its resources, impregnable in its
prowess, intelligent and cultured beyond
any or all nations of the earth, and vet
in the adjustment of it's business mat
ters, as a nation. it's destinies are thrust
into the vortex OF a seething scramble
for the revenues to be derived by those
chosen to act as its agents. And year
AFTER year the people walk up to the polls
and sustain one or the other of two
combinations of men whose only aspira-
tlons are to administer the affairs Of
state for what there is in it financially.
10 whatever source all this can he
traced, undesirable as it NAV seem
may be question of conjecture. gen.
orally speaking, but that much of it's
present dangerous and saddening status
may be directly due to what is known as
commercial politics, introduced in later
years, by throwing millions of dollars
into campaign funds, by which to cor
rupt the voter and carry elections. is
doubtless true. We have all often
heard much about small politics for the
benefit of place hunters, but of late years
this system has been augmented bv
spending enormous sums of ready money
in every campaign, so that a single in
dividual may have been able to fairly
fix himself in single campaign. Nor is
1t consoling to witness the infectiye in
huence of this latter day system. Men
aspire to nominations for Office when
there is not the slightest possibility
OF an election, solely for the purpose
OF getting into position to handle an
immense campaign fund, much of which
they figure can slip deity through the
inner crevices in their fingers and be-