The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-08-22

low the crime. Unless the laws ar'
strictly enforced. one toleration leadi
to another, and general wrong is the
result. The law is made to be en-
forced. not ignored. If It be a bat
law. the remedy is to repeal. not tC
disregard It. The fact that crime can
not be wholly eradicated is no reason
why IL should not be punished We
cannot make men good by law and
have no power to create clean hearts
within them but by furnishing their
crimes they are checked. and others
are prevented from doing likewise In
securing good government the pen is
mightier than the sword.
"The object Of the law against bri.
berry Is to preserve official acts from
the taint Of corruption. in order that
officials may be influenced alone by
the public good. An insidious form of
legislative prostitution Is the sale Of
laws in advance by political campaign
committees. national and state. in
return for contributions from corpor.
ate interests. This form of corruption
II the statements in the public press
be true. has been carried on 10 CON
siderable extent all over the country.
II Is a method Of embezzling the power
Of the peole that is a serious menace
10 good government. What is the
moral distinction between the pay
ment Of money to a national or state
chairman Of a political party for the
promise OF the enaetement or defeat
Of legislation and the payment of mon.
ey to a legislator controlled by that
chairman for the same purpose? The
only difference'ls. in one instance the
people are sold out before election.
aud in the o,her they are sold out af.
ter the election.
Bribery In Constitution.
"Btibery was by the trainers of the
federal constitution put in the same
category as treason. They evidently
did not consider II a conventional of
fense. The constitution specifically
mentions only two crimes for which
the president may be impeached-
treason and bribery. Bribery is trea.
son-the treason OF peace. II all of
hcial acts were for sale then a govern.
ment Of the people could not long ex.
list. II would be a government of the
few with wealth enough 10 purchase
Official favor. No more deadly blow
can be aimed at the commonwealth
than through bribery Of officials.
"The abuse OF constitutional privl.. |
leges is a matter for serious consider. |
alton by good citizens. The self.in. !
eliminating clause of the constitution
Is being used to protect public plund |
erers from exposure and punishment
II Is proper that the individual be not |
compelled In incriminate himself. but
he should not be allowed TO proteot
others under a privilege personal 10
himself The constitution should he
so amended as to compel the giving OF
testimony before grand jurles ami OK.
empt the man who testified from
prosecution by not allowing any truth.
Iul testimony he gives to be used
against him. There can be no reason.
able objection TO this. except from
hose who tear exposure. AS the law
s now the subpoenaed witness Is the
sole Judge as 10 whether his answers
hlsht incrlminate him and he can re.
use to answer on that ground. sim
U ne does answer truthully. nothing
nat he says can be used against him
n any prosecution. This condition of
ne law puts an unnecessary burden
IN the Justice which could be relieved
" an amendment compelling the Civ.
ns OF testimony and guaranteeine
immunity from incrimlnation.
a Grave Crisis.
The people OF Missouri are con.
ronting the gravest crisis in the his.
DRY OF tho state. win the people take
ne government into their own hands
" VIII they permit further opportunity
or plundering9 II corruption is ever
o be annihilatod In the state. It must
'e done now. The corruptionists are
hrewd; there is nothing they fear so
much as an aroused public conscience
Is always their effort TO un the
'sop'e INTO full sense OF security by
oneyed words and high-soundine
'hrases' Demetrius, the shrine-maker
Il Ephesus' saw in the gospels of the