Evening journal., 1901-07-19
FRIDAY. JULY 10. 1901.
ITS WORST CRIME

ITS WORST CRIME
The worst feature Of Addicksism Is
not its determination to. keep two va
cancies in the Senate till one man has
been gratiied by election; not that 1t
has caused a split in the Republican
party. which it will take years to heal
not even that in individual instances
it has debauched the electorate. These
are mere incidents sufficient to damn
the aspirations of their authors, but IL
themselves they are simple annoyances
which might soon be outlived.
The crime Of Addickssm is that IL
has cast taint upon the fair name OF
Delaware; 1t has debauched the pub
lie conscience; IL has lowered our civic
standards, and made political lie
synonymous with public enmity. There
are more voters for sale than ever be
fore, they have less shame in offerlne
themselves in open market There arc
more petty leaders who will betray
constituents and listen TO suggestionsI
that are dishonorable. There are more
Auiu " NAANcl anu AtANnM NNAAN AbAiA
of political rascality.
In former years the man who sold
his vote was the exception; now he Is
legion. lie did it individually, now he
is one of a number which sends out
its emissaries to dicker with both
parties for the best terms. Formerly
there were men who excused the poor
man for selling his vote on the ground
of poverty; now the majority of the
men Of a particular party openly de
fend both the bribcr and the bribed
Instances might be multiplied indef-
nitely. A very Jealous church-worker
sometime since was heard TO give the
most wonderful testimony OF personal
sanctiiication, and TO loudly advocate
on the street the next day the claims
of a particular man, because the only
way to win was to buy votes, and that
individual was the only one to put up
the money. He was not an addlo-
pated enthusiast, but man well-known
and generally respected.
An important State official some
time since seriously and earnestly de-
Tended the system on the basis Of ex
pedioncy. He admitted most Of the
charges of the opposition, but declared
that in both church and State real ex-
pediency was the only motive. H.
claimed that it was proper for organi-
cations to obey moral law. but only
from this motive. In some instances
churches and pastors have been suhsi-
dized with the understanding that
there should be a certain support as an
equivalent. One certain pastor Of q
colored church in lower Delaware was
given $500. II is reported on good au-
thority, under the understanding that
out OF the stipend Of every voter he
should retain one dollar for ths
church. It is interesting to know thai
he had been so impressed with the doc
trine of expediency that he kept the
fun amount, not for the church, bu
for himself.
Recently a retired farmer, who ha'
always been known for probity. an,
who had always held alcof from politi
cal depravity, was heard defending
vote-huying and selling on the grounl
that those Offering the bribes wcr
expecting an equivalent in Office, an
that the poor man should be paid 70
his support. He said he had change
the opinions he had held so long II
had the qualification of seeing his son
follow his teachings. by going int
open market and selling to the higr
est bidder.
1t has fastened itself upon the pres
which, next to the clergy should l
the strongest moral force The fir
boom Addicksism received in Delawal
was through the medium CT paid ed
torial. Since then a number OF me-
have been found who are willing
prostitute their pens to special plea
ing for indecency, and TO a defense
political conduct utterly at varian
with the spirit of our institutions:
defiance Of statutes and constitution
provisions, and repugnant to the teac
ings of religion. The crime is in
taint. in the virus of disease which
has spread in the pollution of I
air. and in public contamination. Y
cannot converse with a defender of I
system without Witnessing an exam
of inverted brain processes. Of perve
ed morality. of subverted ideals IT
is its crime; our children are bel
saturated with the virus which sh
show in future disease The N