The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-02-14
MORE THAN ONE KIND OF
BRIBERY.


BRIBERY.
In the course Of some remarks on the
aubiect of direct election OF senators, the
spokesman Review makes this bulls
ye:
The country hears now great Outcry
against the seating Of Clark from Mon
ana. His case Is treated ~ exceptional.
II Is alleged that he bought his way into
lie sen ace, and that his crime was 80
| unusual that all the other senators
.hould draw closer their togas from the
contaminating touch Of the Montana
contestant. The truth is that. as a rule,
enatorial seats are won by bribery
rrue, the direct consideration Is not al.
ways in gold and greenbacks, as alleged
the Gaze from Montana, but u is
either money or office. Often It is office.
rhe senatorial aspirant buys votes with
The public service and the public money,
instead Of buying them with his indi-
,idnal resources, as is alleged in the case
1i CLARK Of Montana. Instead Of passing
over 5000 or $4,000, he passes over
federal appointment which is worth
that or more TO the bribed member. In
either case the offense is bribery and
the practice demoralizing.
The whole system Of trading and traf
licking in offices, Influence" and
patronage" is bribery, nothing else.
Il Is not confined, either, to senatorial
contest, but runs through our whole
.ystem OF nomination and election or ap.
poiniment The man who gets into any
office no matter how insignifcant with.
out making any promises TO his
"iriends," 20 be redeemed at public ex
pense, is rare exception.
The man who, like Clark, goes down
IN his pocket and buys men with
his coin IL morally no more reprehensi-
bie than the one who buys them with
promises that they shall have fat pick
lug at the public crib Siter he is in.
stalled In office. The latter IL as much
a bribe.giver as the former, and his
friends as guilty Of taking bribes. The
Inference Is In method, not in kind nor
degree.
Unfortunately the smoother" and
less dangerous method has become 30
common that our sensibilities have be.
come blunted aud We do not rec gnize
u lor what II is. The congressman or
senator who does rot begin, as soon Us
elected, TO build his political fences, by
the distribution Of whatever patronage
comes In his way In the quarters "where
II will do the most good" is consider
cd lacking Ia political acumen
The same is true all the way up and
down the line from the presidential
chair TO the smallest precinct offices
ls there no remedy for this diseased
condition OF the body p,litic2 There
must be. The weak point In the armor
OF the would.be honest otlire-holder,
Who fully desires to serve the people 10
the best Of his ability, Is the fact that he
has an honorable ambition to again run
Tor Office. iris weak point is rendered
Vulnerable TO the bow aud spear Of the
political boss by the present system Of
nomination by the boss ridden conven-
Iion. There is where the whole system
breaks down aud becomes the helpless
prey Of spoils politics. You must ''do |
something for the boss or your name
will never 20 upon another slate. There
YOU are; what are you going TO do
about it7 How many men can succeed
In politics against the opposition OF the
professional convention manipulators
Of their own party9 The question ans
wers itself.
The only enectual remedy. then, for
all this direct aud indireit buying Of
offices, is to put the whole elective ma.
chinery in the hands OF the people at
large. Nomination is as much a part OF
hlllng the offices as is election. No man
can be elected until he is nominated. |
The oihces must be- tllled from the nomi.
mated candidates, Then Il the candi.
dates arc all nominated by the bosses,
the officers will owe their Offices 10 the
b 'sses, aud TO them allegiance must be
given.
Put the nomination Ia the hands Of
all { ,e people, and TO all the people the
o ucer will look lor future iayors. and he
will laugh in the face OF the political
b 'ss, v any are lett, Who tries 10 tempt
him into betrayal OF his trus, by promise
u political iaV0rs. present or prlspertive