The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-12
SEATTLE. THURSDAY. APRIL IL.
a Righteous Judgment.

Of it's committee on the Clark case.
should be Unanimous. Public opinion IL
engaged In this decision more deeply
rnd earnestly than In other questions
where II finds freer expression. In the
ultimate analysis II is free institutions
that are on trial. "Commercialism" is
4 thing TO be feared only as 1t lays Its
hand upon the life Of nation. exerts
its sway upon legislation. reaches down
10 the foundation and corrupts the cleo
torate Then, indeed. neither patriot
ism nor courage Is proof against despair
In this way fell the nations that are
gone. The use OF wealth to purchase
place and influence was first condemned,
then ignored, then apologlzsd for. then
became confession and at last boast.
with that the nation was ready for its
shroud.
The practice must obtain no footing Of
may not expect to root out wholly the
eorrup. use of money In politics, any
more than we can free humanity from
any other form of crime But we can
make " odlous, We can lnterpose be-
tween II and possession Of reward We
do not open the doors OF our jaiis ana
bid the inmates go forth because there
are those on The outside who also should
be in the conviot's cell We do not say
that theft SHAH be UNPUBLISHED because
there will be stealing tomorrow and to-
morrow. And of all the crimes upon
the calendar there is none that should
be pursued more inexorably than this
which strikes at the very nfe Of the ma
tion
The committee has taken unassaiisble
ground in morals and In equity. by bas-
ins IT'S decision not upon any particular
charge or item of proof. but upon the
cumulative character OF the testimony.
Perhaps this is even more important
than the decision Itself Too long have
Indictments for bribery before legisla-
tive committees rested on the theory
that they must stand OF fail with tho
fate ~ some one or more specified trans
actions, II is practically impossible 10
trace the progress from hand to hand
of money that is used ia bride. And the
knowledge that such technical complete
ness Of evidence as would be required
by Il court Of Justice for the particular
act VIII alone warrant exclusion Is the
encouragement " the brthe giver and
the despair et honorable men
II Is. therefore. q the highest value
that the senate committee weighed the
evidence before IL as whole. and rem.
dred tie verdict accordingly. u Is the
line OF Grsumeu, and ~ action that the
To~t-Iuteiligencer has ureed from the
b. ginning Let the courts OF Montana,
We have said deal with the question II
violation ~ lhe LAW according o. the
rules and puscejure ~ GA. courts But
the United states senate is not bound
by such precedent The purity Il thc
hishss, legislative body Is az stake. rs
duty 10 10 scan every circumstance. O.
weigh all OF them az whole. ana then
20 say whether or NOT Improper .nau-
snces were exercised To sr-uyc an cleo
item to the senate n they were then
u were better TO throw open the gates
% sn cur cities 20 an invading army
than 20 admit the validity of u,,e
tainted with corruption
The senate commattee has vlndica 'cd
the honor Of that body auI ~ the ua.
ton. II has done iuote than that Il
has raised q hand & stay she onslaught
"a this Union the eyes % greedy ambi-
ton are fxod upon places OF enolnmcnt
and honor In many * them the use og
money 60 purchase place has boon open
ana notorious In not few, plans are
laid 10 purchase senator al seats tina;
ara shortly 10 become vacant lie, these
xensiemsniy bsNsdlers understand that
their path OF danger AMI disaanor can
.sad 1heIn nowhere bat 20 a closed door.
They have shared the opinion Of The low
and common. the opinion disseminated
hy shese who declare that virtue and
hsncrAave rerirried frsm'ths earth. be-