The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-04
CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE.


the Official corruption OF st. Louis the
worse 1t appears. The report OF the
/ April grand jury says that. while there
Aas been corruption in other cities as
4 great, yet no place in the world and in
no time known to history has so much
Official corruption been uncovered and
tho evidence shown so that all could see
and understand The report declares
ff ths a1airs Of st. Louis had been
!. properly administered for the past iif>
teen years and IL all officials had been
honest there would be enough money in
the treasury to put public buildings In
repair, pave streets that are now un-
paved. make sewers that are now I'M
made and build new buildings that are
now SO much needed. It further says
that the high tax rate. the deplorable
condition of public institutions. the de-
p,eted state Of the city treasury. are q
heritage left by officials who have pro-
ven traitors to the interests Of the peo-
ME. who have trafhcked in their votes,
anfiuenoe and oficial action to the city's
dstrimsne. ..These disclosures mako II
plsin..' the report concludes. that the
taxpayers Of st. Louis have been mer-
ciisssiy and pitiiessly outraged for years.
that tho money they have paid In taxes
has been squandered instead OF being
used Tor the public welfare; IL has been
f,,onious,y diseipated and It benefited
chiefly corrupt officials who have grown
opuIenc on small salaries. |"
one instance is mentioned OF for
ner collector who received interest on
public funds for his own private account
and drew from these investments"
something like $4,000 for his own ben
eft. The Mayors clerk sold privileges
and permits Cor his own benefit; the
members of the City Assembly bought
and sold for the city contrary to law and
lined their pockets with gold
One of the worst features Of it all was
HE system Of bribery by which corpora
lions secured valuable franchises. In
one instance 1t is said that s25o.ooo was
divided among members Of the Municipal
Assembly.
And this sort of thing went on Tor
fifteen years before 1t was exposed! we
have in several articles expressed our
oninion of these public traitors and OF
the scamps who disbursed the corruption
fund But whose fault was 1t that TINS
system should have been permitted TO
90 on for SO long time? Manifest
ly the fault of the voters The people
Of ST. Louis must have had some sus-
nicion at feast that their officials were
corrupt Yet they We're elected and re-
elected and the stealase continued we
suppose that the voters Of st. Louis are
not unlike those Of other cities They
are SO busy with their own private al
fairs that the business men Of the COM
munity do not take time to NEEDLE Win
politics" and SO they let the hoodlums
run the city.
It is neglect that grows the weeds. II
a man wants a crop Of weeds IN MS
field all that he need do is to let his
field alone-neglect it, and the weeds Will
come II the people Of any oommu-
nifty want corrupt government sil that
they have to do is to neglect it, neglect
to attend nominating conventions anc
primaries. neglect to go to the polls
and vote on election-day, neglect to take
any part in local politics. That sort OF
neglect is Just as sure to breed cor
ruption as neglect of the field is to breed
weeds. But such neglect is well-nigh
criminal Those citizens who neglect
their civic duties are in part responsible
for the corruption that is almost sure to
follow.