The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1903-12-25
Judge Case on the Machine

In signed letter to the Oswego
Independent Judge Nelson Case
scores the machine system of poll
tics which is fastening itself upon
Kansas. He declares that 'it is no
evidence that person is as squea m
ish as New England old maid that
he expresses a feeling of disgust
wife politics and politicians as they
in a great measure, exist TO-DAY"
He hopes, he says, that we have
not yet reached period "when to
be honest is disreputable, or that t
demand honesty of public servants
is unreasonable. And then ht
makes note of the manner in which
big Offices have been bought will
smaller ones in Kansas during th'
cast few years saying;
"I think I may safely say as a
rule the public has no concep ION
Of the prevalence and of the debas
ing Influences of the worst kind :
bribery; indeed, as a general thing
i IS MT Looked upon as bribery
Manv people look with horror on a
Legislator who sells his vote for
money, but they never utter a pro
st agains' the legislator who
trades his influence and vote for
political preferment for himself. A
few years ago the people would
have been shocked had 1t been
proved that candidate for the
United States senate sold his
chances in the race for s., 900 in
cash, but few seemed surprised
when they learned that such a
chance was disposed of for feder
al appointment worth $4,000 a year
Probably no one connected with
that transaction was ashamed of it
or considered he had done dis
reputable act, and it is evident II e
public did not seriously disapprove
Of it. But as a question of princi
pie and public morals what is the
difference between that transaction
and those which some years ago
sent Senator Pomeroy into retire
m mt and everlasting shame and
which caused the expulsion of Sen
ator Caldwell from the senate?
"Can an intelligent public be
satisfied with the manner in which
high judicial positions have been
dickered away in this state this
year? 1t is not enough that these
appointments have merit on which
to rest, for every discerning man
knows that it was not merit which
was the controlling element in Sc
curing these appointments-that at
was lhe merest trhe; the real thing
that secured them was the influence
they would have on other political
moves. In my judgment the polit
ical price paid for off cial prefer
ment is a far worse kind of bribery
than is the direct paymentof money
therefor. The latter is much NOR
easy to reach and corrupt. The
former is more debasing in its in
fluence and is more strongly in
trenched in our political system.
"In reference to the use of money
in the purchase of political action
there has recently been commend
able effort in various parts of the
country looking to the clearing up
of the government machinery and
getting it in better working order.
But with all the efforts that have
yet been made, or that seem likely
to be made by those who are charg-
ed with the enforcement Of the
criminal laws there teens little pros
pect that anything like the root of
the evil will be reached until the
people are more fully awake to the
enormity of the crime of bribery,
whatever form it may take, and to
the great extent to which it has per /
meated our political system. The !
remedy meted out must be not only /