The St. Louis Republic., 1902-10-03
TALE OF MORAL RoTTENNEss.

4 TALE OF MORAL RoTTENNESS.
b UthoT ard Kobusch reciied yesterday before jury
of respectable business men and millions Of news
paper readers the NEST terrible story OF human wick
cGness ever uncarthed in the history Of municipal
corruption.
Tweed and a few Of his confederates were caught
IN New York. Here and there an Alderman or an eX-
ecutive official has been exposed in another city.
Bui here is a connected description, under oath Of
the purchase two houses Of city legislature with
bribcs; of the soIlng of men's souls with derish
Temptations OF greed and rottenness in possession Of
thr conduct of public service
The tale is Ike the dissection of body dead OF
loathsome disease. For most of the affected the
crime is dead in law. 1t exists only as an awful
lesson the voters who live in cities and allow the
growth Of such fostering filth in the pisces Of their
government.
Men who have posed reputable are being held
along with others who have for years been
insoiently plying the trade OF corruption and almost
advertising their readiness to all customers.
AZ justice impartially puts its questions and brings
view part by part the transactions in which some
men bought and other sold public privileges the
cztI asks; How can we trust any man to he faith
ful scrvant.in Office?
Citizens can furnish the answer. Snyder could not
have obtaieed the Central Traction franchise unless
the Way had been prepared for him by long regime
Of gradually increasing villainy in city politics. The
poor;e had warnings. They knew that bribery and
sandiaggng we're being practlced. They permitted
hIe,! of inscriptions robbers get possession Of
rmnieinai machinery 1t was inatteution and indTer
eree the part Of tie public mind which let These
robh seize political organizations and parcel out
hc,ni;'ations
Bribery and sandbagging are crimes which spread
rapidly when once started. They are crimes which
faru Of detection Usually witness is ob'ainable
Immunity seems established for the corrupt legislator
the naturally corrupt individual watches the
game and Iusts for its gains. Is it wonder that he
learns to despise public opinion and laugh at justice
when both appear to him unseeing and impotent: Is
ii wonder that he shoulders his way to a place
among the thieves of his tendencies and that to-
griher they accomplish control of a business which
better men neglect?
st. Louis is in respect worse than other large
American cities 1t is lucky in the circumstances
Which have produced witnesses and effected
ro>ure. 1t is lucky in the sweeping completeness Of
tho which has transformed irritating general
ssrieion astounding specific truth. 1t is lucky in
being able TO teach actual and potential scOundrels
that tIo law is imperously powerful when once it
lays hands on a criminal and that there is no sure
immunity for the shrewdest corrlpuonist.
This reeking history of the Central Traction OPP
craiers should clinch the resolution the voters to
create New ST. Louis of political morality. A New
ST Louis OF material prosperity and beauty under
way There is abundant civic energy to construct the
model American municipal government Let citizens
keep IL mind the records Of the criminal division of
the Circuit Court in the year 1902 Remembering the
Irco: of their previous neglect and the burning les
son cf official guilt they can maintain St Louis as
the cit! where the bOOdler dares not show his head
and where the CRATER is known only in the cells Of
prison.