Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-11-02


This is crime No. 2. The CRATER
accepts the blood money. This is
crime No. 3. He violates his oath Of
Office and permits the infraction Of
a law. This is crime No. 4.
No vicious piece Of legislation
stands on a statute book but that
some selfish and criminal interest
bought 1t and placed 1t there. There
is no CRATER Of consequence. who
in time or stress or danger, cannot
demand and speedily receive the sup
port and influence Of men who stand
high in the world OF affairs.
Is there any other door at which
we can lay these crimes? Do the peo-
Pile as a mass raise corruption funds
and assail the virtue OF their repre-
sentatiyes and ofacials? Do those
whose children are denied an educa-
ton because there are not sufficient
school buildings, secure quick relief
by purchasing the necessary approp-
ration? Are parks and Fairgrounds
to be had through the use OF money
in the hands OF a paid lobby? Wa a
dollar ever expended In bribery for
other than a personal and selfish pur-
pose? There Is only n answer to
these questions.
The CRATER is IN effect; not a
cause. He is the retainer Of dishonest
business interests; the henchman Of
those SO carried away by the lust Of
greed that they do not hesitate to
plumber their fellow citizens through
the bribel cooperation Of those. who
are paid to protect their interests.
In foreign countries, which make
no claim to the liberty which Is our
heritage, they are partly recompensei
by the service Of officials who find
honor and pleasure in the Just and
careful administration OF the duties
OF their positions. In the great mu-
inequalities OF England, the citizen
who has served his country and amas-
sed an honest competence as a busi.
ness or professional man, looks for
ward after middle age TO the possible
ty that the ripper years Of his life may
be called into requisition by the com.
munity Of which he is q part. Such
men all the higher elective and up.
pointive positions, serving generally
without pay, and finding their reward
In the appreciation Of those who have
honored them by their confidence. The
vast engineering works completed In
recent years have been planned and
supervised by men whose only pay
was the applause Of their fellows,
The great public utilities OF Glasgow,
birmingham. Manchester and London
are 10 charge Of men whose lives and
acts raise them beyond the reach Of
suspicion. Bribery is q crime In Eng
land; It 10 Z profession In our beloved
country.
We have buried and well-nigh
~oblitssated the line which separates
honesty from dishonesty. We have
considered honesty as . policy and
not a. q virtue. The shrewi trading
and business instinct Of the former
generations has d~egenerated In many
instances into an over.reaching and
INSCRIPTIONS avarice. The tricks oi
trade" had not far to fall to become
the crimes Of business.
Powerful and seemingly unassail
able Ms Is this alliance between
criminal interests and criminal Off
cials. Il will BIO ground to powder
when once the American people re.
alize the shame which has crept upon
them. There is brewing a revolution
against venaIity. whether OF the tap
room or Of the counting room. When
IL bursts II will all the jails with
strangely assorted criminals. There
will come a day when honesty will be
fashionable: when probity will no
longer be the subject Of a sheer.
8MM@A @N@HM#M fFa#t@ M@9t@ M
+. l.. Oswald pays cash and good
prices for secondhand goods. 1910
National avenue. Colorado Phone