The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-16
PROTECTION AND POLITICAL COR
RUPTION.

London dispatch in Saturdays Journal
furnishes an interesting glimpse of some of
Mr.. Chamberlain's views. AS the dispatch
contains several points of interest, it Is re-
printed entire:
In letter to Miss Miner, sister of Lord
Alfred Miner. lord high commissioner to
South Africa. Joseph Chamberlain contends
that the argument that political corruption
results from protective policy is absurd
Mr.. Chamberlain says: Germany Is free
where there Is a good deal OF corruption IL
is caused by the presence of the Irish po-
litical organizations. So far as the govern
ment OF the United States is concerned,
nothing of the kind has ever been suggested
TO me and the general purity Of the admins
tration has been increased of late years
under the protective system. The creation
OF trusts is also entirely independent or
protection. We have already seen such In
situations. as for instance the Coats COM
bination and the Alkali trust. The sys-
tenn is likely to increase with the growing
tendency to cheaper production by comb-
nations with larger outputs"
1t would be interesting to know why the
former colonial secretary thought it'neces-
sary to combat Miss Miners views regard
ing the influence of protection in causing
political corruption. II she has any valu-
able or authentic information on the sub
ject the American people would like to
hear from her.
There is no evidence nor reason to be-
lieve that the protective policy has been
fruitful cause of political corruption in this
country. The charge that 1t is has often
been made by the advocates of free trade,
but probably 1t had about as little founda-
ton as the counter charge that free-trad-
ers were beautifully supplied with British
gold. There has never been as much politi-
cal corruption in this country as some peo-
pie. especially foreigners, have imagined.
and the worst cases that have occurred had
no connection with the protective policy.
The Credit Mobilier the whisky frauds and
the star route frauds were the worst cases
OF political corruption that have occurred
in this country, and none OF them had any
thing to do with the protective policy. The
same is true of occasional frauds in Indian
affairs, in the land office and In the pur-
chasing of government supplies. Frauds
In the postal service have occurred under
every administration since the government
began, and official reports show that the
average number of officials arrested for
such frauds-postmasters. postal clerks.
etc.-is about the same one year with an
other, under Democratic, under Repub-
lican, administrations.
There Is no natural connection between
protection and political corruption. The
first defalcation OF any magnitude that
occurred in the revenue service, that of
Samuel Swartwout. collector of customs at
New York In 1888, occurred during a free
trade administration. Tariff laws cause
some smuggling, but that is not political
corruption; besides, there has been fully as
much smuggling under the British free
trade system as there has been under the
American protective system.
The real cause of political corruption is
| personal dishonesty and greed. and care
| lessness of the people in electing, or of ex-
ecutors in appointing unfit to Office.
A system that permits dishonest men, either
plausible and INSCRIPTIONS politicians or
dishonest applicants for office. with politi-
cal backing to get into Office. is conducive
to political corruption, no matter what
economic policy prevails. Civil-service re-
form has done much to abolish that sys-
tenn In this country, and the standard OF
| political morals is higher now than form
| erly.
| Mr.. Chamberlain's statement that po.
| litical corruption in this country is caused
| by the presence of the Irish political or
ganizations" is very far fetched and an un.
| just attack on Irish-Americans In general
| He may have had Tammany in mind and
it's influence in New York city politics, bu
Tammany is not composed wholly of Irish
men by any means. 1t is cosmopolitan, ant
therefore the natural allay OF vices which
are cosmopolitan. No doubt all other ma
tionalities in Tammany combined greatly
outnumber the Irish. Outside Of Tam
many there is no Irish political organiza
ton in the country that can fairly b.
charged with promoting political corruption
Probably there is more political corruption
in France than there Is In the United
States, and there are no Irish political or
ganizations there. and not much protection
| either. Mr.. Chamberlain's assertion tina
the creation of trusts is entirely independ
ent of protection opens another branch o
the question, and one which Americans hav
about settled in the negative.