The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-09-08
ST. LOUIS ATTORNEY is ENTHUSIASTICALLY RECEIVED

upon Inc proper exercise of the bal
- most precious possession of the
"oIhihsmah Folk said. in part:
mere Is an individual responsibility for
the a1airs OF government that MANY fail
10 Feaiize. There Is too much of a dispo-
siuon In many to allow others to tbe
naoe sweating. in civic affairs: while tbav
40 the bread eating. No class of citizens
exercise their civic duties more conscien-
uonsiy' as a rule. than those who earn
their living by the toll of their hands. n
all others were as Jealous in exercising
the privileges of citizenship. there vo,,ld
De less corruption in public life. Indaad %
lhe Laoorer in the shop and the farmer
IN the field were as Indifferent to civic
autles as the princes of in tho
great centers Of population, free govern
ment could not long exist.
The safety of the Republic has baan
menaced- Official corruption is the uost
dangerous enemy to free government. On
'hls rock nearly all the Republics NJ
other lays have gone down. The .staun-
ing out Of public corruption is an honor
TO a State. The year lust passad hos
gwen to every Missourian the right IN
LAehNA aS d ClIlZe0 0f tho
state which is taking the lead in eradi-
N'uns CIVIC evils. The vast disclosures OF
VehaIity In city and State have startled The
"oinu' ana nave brought on the people of
missouri cfealt Tor what has been done
anu grave responsibilities for the future
The disease has been checked and now
me people must do their part. If tbis
great State, with its glorious history
should shrink back from the task. ,ben :,
might well be believed that the decadenco
Oh me public conscience has begun.
CORRUPTION.
To argue that official corruntion &. NO
worthy of serious consideration b.cause
no money has been stolen from the to-.
ury is as senseless as to tell a man VIE.
daughter has been assaulted +b,. -
should not complain because his Give
ware is yet safe. The corrupt Legislator
frames IN the honor of a sovereign people.
There are things the value of which can
not De measured in money. No one can
calculate what the honor of a State ,s
worth he that would consent for the
nohor OF his State TO be prostituted. even
II II put money into the treasury, is not
a good citizen.
BRIBERY costs, looking at it from q sor-
old standpoint. In St. Louis. miles and
miles OF streets nave been given AWAY.
that is. the city has obtained nothing
put the corrupt officials have grown rich
by the sale of these franchises n the
city had received a fair comnensation
FOR franchises it would be millions be,te,
off to-day. '
mere Is no way Of estimating the finan-
cial loss to a State by a carniya, of CO..
ruption. but that the people Ios+ o.nno.
be seriously denied. When the go.
the Baking Powder Trust maid e Eoo .or
senatorial votes. il got what II uon,a5.
the Senators gained what they r-.ntaa
There can be no gain without a car-a-
spending loss. Who lost what the oor-,,n.
officials and the trust gained? WIN The
people. Every corrupt dollar obtained b.,
an official is ilched directly from the nao.
pie.
Above all, the cost of corruption is the
freedom of the people. The wages of sin
is death is true of political as well as
physical life.
Official corruption is more dangerous
than other crimes, for it strikes at the
foundation of all Law. The inevitable cost
OF corruption is the decay of the Gov
eminent where it is tolerated. This has
been so in all the worlds history.
There can be no compromise with pub
lie piinderers. Unrelenting exposure and
punishment is the only honorable course
Public corruption cannot be stamped out
by gentle methods. 1t must be hit hard
whenever and wherever it shows itself
Any pandering &c noodle influences must
be discountenanced by an honest citizen
ship.
The corruptionists are strong, let Us
not deceive ourselves in that point. They
are resourceful n win resort to every
means to give themselves further op-
portunity. They are wei organized. but