The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-08-21
A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS.
Hon. Edward w. Pou, nember of Con-
gress from the Fourth District,
Sounds Note Against the Corrupt
Use of Money In Elections
Biblical Recorder.

There has been nothing more wor-
thy of the approval of thoughtful cit
izenS, nothing more reassuring to
men who are interested in the nation
al life, than the voice that Mr.. Ed
ward w. Pou, of North Carolina,
Congressman from the Fourth Dis
trict. has lifted against The Cor
rupt Use of Money in Elections" In
the present time when the campaign
funds in an ordinary State election
amount to hundreds of thousands of
dollars and candidates spend mill
lion or more in contest for a
United States Senatorship, when fire.
quently the chief inducement to nom
mate candidate is that he is veal
thy, Mr.. Pou's voice is only voice
in the wilderness; but we may be
thankful for that and give him our
approval in hope that time will re-
veal in him the harbinger of better
day.
Last March Mr. Pou sounded this
note in Congress:
There is one real danger in this
Republic, one ever-present menace to
liberty. 1t overhangs our beloved
country like black cloud. 1t is the
corruption of the American electo-
rate by the use of money. No man
should be willing for his party to do
that which he would not do himself" "
And he introduced resolutions call
ing for an investigation of the cor
rupt use OF money by all the political
parties. In the course Of his speech
he also said: "Neither party can
justify the practice by charging that
the other party is guilty." revealing
an attitude and purpose far above
that of the mere partisan.
We regret that the resolutions
were not given chance to be consid-
cred.
While it will be readily granted
that certain amount of money is
legitimately needed in the conduct OF
a campaign. it will not be denied tha,
perhaps one hundred times as much
as is legitimately needed is used
nor will it be denied that the chic
question in modern campaigns ha:
not been of policies or principles OF
men, but OF campaign funds. The
voice of the people has been inter
preted to be on the side of the heavi
est barrels. 1t is already all but i'm
possible for party or a cause o
poor citizens to win, money is SO es-
sential.
AS Alumni Orator at the Universit,
commencement Mr.. Pou found a bet
ter opportunity to voice his convic
tions on this important subject, and
we may cite as an evidence of his in
terest in it, his remarks were almos
wholly employed in exposure of tn
extent to which this corruption hae
been developed. and in pleadin,
against it. From that address W
|, submit three paragraphs:
: "Now when a few men raise
large sum of money and a sufficien
number of votes are thereby change
to cause the election Of certain candi
) dates, such result is not the expires
sion of the will Of the American peo
l pie, but it is a result bought wit
| money. 1t is not the administratio
of the people. but the administratio
! ! of money. Men elevated to publ
i position by this means are not tn
: servants Of the people. Unless the
5 are possessed OF rare virtues and a
: most superhuman strength Of char
acter, they will primarily represen
I those who contribute to their elet
: ton. Popular government ends an
E plutocracy is enthroned in power
e The small percentages which chang
I results and the weakness OF povert
v constitute an ever-present temptatio
9 to debauch the American electorate
: This is not a partisan question
1t is great National problem whic
i should engage the thought OF ever
i man who loves his country. III
e perpetuity Of American institution
n is involved; the liberty OF the Amer
t can citizen is involved; the happine:
9 of posterity is involved; the Republ
J. itself is involved. Everything whis
n liberty-loving people cherish is at Il
t. mercy of this vicious practice.
i Shall this crime become respect
II BILE because all parties are guilty
o it? Shall one party justify by char
n ing that the other is guilty. Do
d the practice cease to be evil becau
le it has become universal? Shall {
J. who protest be laughed to scorn' h
Is purity of purpose become impractie
IN in the most important Of all Anne
j. can institutions? God forbid! L
10 the universities and colleges, wi
1, absolute scorn for all criticism. 8
o. dress themselves to the correcti
c. and eradication of this great evil