New-York tribune., 1900-03-27
THE CURSE OF GOOD NATURE

Discussing the current attempt to put down
police blackmailing and protection of vice, THE
London Spectator goes to the root of our polti-
cal disease when it says: ITO impartial OBJ
server that very quality which is most in re-
quest among average men is possible source
''of grave danger in communicative, good
nature" That, in fact, is the principal cause
of bad government local. State and National.
1t is not that majority of the people want bad
government, that they approve of Matchmaking
police, or law auctioning bosses, untruthful
and corrupt officials. II Is that the majority
are too good natured in dealing with the minor
ity who fatten these things. The fashion of
Indifference discourages anything but spasmodic
opposition to political wrongdoing, and spas
modic effort weakens the moral fibre of the com
munity by encouraging the notion that reforms
merely temporary and after all hardly
worth while. So long as good natured toIera-
ton of known evils is the common temper any
reform, of course, will be temporary. The same
Incidence which endured abuses till wave of
sentimentalsm brought revolt will endure a
lowering of standards the instant the flash in
the pan passion for goodness has gone out The
good natured citizen prefers honesty, but he
does not prefer it seriously enough to be any
thing but stepping stone TO active dishonesty.
OF him THE Spectator" writes:
We do not feel how great sinner he is, but
rather pass upon him that verdict of the
dying Jacob on his son, Unstable water.
the sentimentalist; represented the stage IT
takes the pit by storm; but the true man has
no use for it," the Americans say. The
heights that have been gained must be kept, or
the fate of the water of Tantalus and the ever
falling stone Of Sisyphus is his who keep
the fibre Of his moral being sound and strong.
SO far as communities concerned, a republic
of all political FORMS most needs certain
sternness of human type. least needs mere good
nature.
Yet more and more in this Republic that stern
ness is decaying. Less and less do men care if
those who serve them in office are honest
whether statement made by them is false or
true. 1t may be said that there have been so
many cries of "Wolf!' that people are weary of
investigating libels or doubling their politicians
because of sensational abuse. But such answer
does not meet the case, for the good natured
citizen toerates the boss whose corruption is
perfectly well known and undoubted. the official
whose lying is a matter of documentary evil
dence, readily he will a person of good
record about whom some irresponsible rumor
is aioat. The trouble is not that people do not
believe charges against politician are true,
but that they don't care whether or not they
are true, and will go supporting him regard
less OF the moral question involved, if it happens
10 suit their convenience their prejudice or their
interest.
We do not suppose. that the constituents OF
certain Senators who came to the rescue of the
policy gamblers at Albany have any moral doubt
that they were corruptly Influenced But not
one man in ten among them would be aroused
by that conviction TO prevent reelection of
dishonest public servants. There are church
officers in every village of this State who know
that votes bought at their primaries and
elections and know who handle the money
Rut year after wear they 90 on pivinp nol,ttoo1
support to the brbers. There are eminent citi-
zens Of both parties here who know the facts
of the boss alliances, can name the sum con
trbuted" for this law that nomination bur
the knowledge arouses them to sense of duty
as American citizens no more than would a. tale
about the venality Of Chinese mandarin And
1t grows worse. Circumstantial proof that high