The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1903-09-17

zenS; the process Of cutting out the
eaneeFOus growth from the body poll
tic has been painful, but it was the
only honest and patriotic course TO
pursue, and now, the people must do
something about it, else all that has
been done will avail nothing. The
disease has been checked and now the
people must do their part. If this great
state with its glorious history, with its
memories of illustrious statesmen, and
soldiers who have added lustre to the
pages of our country's history, should
shrink back from the task, then II
might well be believed that the de-
cadence of the public conscience has be-
gun. Things must not be allowed to
run in the old ruts again. Let there
be reign OF law and of civic honor
The name Missouri" should be made
the synonym for civic righteousness.
This can be done IL the people will,
and every citizen can be made to feel
the responsibility resting upon him.
The people govern through their repre-
sentatives. If the people are indiffer-
ent, their supineness is represented by
corrupt officials. If they are alive to
their civic duties, their integrity is
represented by honest officials. Each
man should strive to make his lnfiu-
ence felt for decency and morality.
There is only one policy for public and
| private life. absolute honesty. Evil al
ways comes out sooner or later. II
mans character and life show him to
be susceptible to the influence of brib-
cry or corruption, he should not be
trusted no matter how capable he may
be. No capacity in public official
atones for dishonesty. Relegate to the
rear those who seek Office for the OPP
portunity for plumber that Office gives,
The official who uses his public func-
tions for personal ends, violates to that
extent the trust reposed in him. He
who prostitutes his Office for selfish
purposes, will, If opportunity offers,
prostitute it for his own gain. We
need in legislative halls more agrees
sive honesty, more men who know
their duty and dare to do it. The path
way of the legislator is beset with Sc
ductive dangers, and he must be
"steeled and armoured" with strong
mind and true conscience to come
through clean. If he have any venali-
! ~ in his nature, the various stages of
corruption will follow in natural Sc
Quence. First, the acceptance of rail-
road pass; then some seemingly inno-
cent gift not directly connected with
legislation. hen-a- gratnily indirectly
on account of official action; then re-
ward for something officially done. not
In pursuance Of an agreement how
ever; then scared conscience and
duled moral vision and the sale of his
official vote to the highest bidder,
| Legislators should learn the power
| they possess. their right 20 vote and
their influences with their fellows, be-
long not to them, but to their own con-
stituents, and that they are held as a
sacred trust to be administered for the
public good. They should be held in
strict accountability as to the manner
in which TIE trust Is executed. They
must be. judged by what they do, not
by what they say.
If a mans private character Is bad, 1t
will show itself sooner or later in pub
lie life. The guiding star of public
and private life must be principle. One
who would truckle TO undesirable ele-
ments TO secure Office is not likely to be
of much benefit to the public when he
gets in. There Is more honor in hon
| est private life than in high official po-
stion gained by the sacrifice of prln-
cpie. What doth it profit man to
gain the whole world and lose his own
SOUL" was asked by the man Of CALI
lee. The soul Of state is its honor,
| and the question might well be asked
when tho honor OF Il state is gone,
What is left?
To argue that official corruption Is
not worthy of serious consideration be-
cause no money has been stolen from
the treasury, is as senseless as to tell
man whose daughter has been as
saulted, that he should not complain
because his silyerware is yet safe. The
corrupt legislator traffics in the honor
of sovereign people. There are things,
the value of which can not be measured
in meAeX- Np-pne- can Calculate What
the honor of a state Is worth. He that
would consent for the honor of his
state to be prostituted, even if it put
money into the treasury, is not good
citizen.
For what did our forefathers fight in
1776? Did the followers of Washington
spill their blood so freely for money?
NO, not for money, but for principle.
The tax on tea was not resisted by the
colonists because of the money. The
payments of the tax would not have
financially crippled them, but the pay
ment of a tenth part of the tax on the
principle it was demanded, would have
made them slaves Nations go to war
and pour out their treasures for hon
ors sake.
Bribery costs, looking at 1t from
sordid standpoint. In St. Louis, miles
and miles of streets have been given
away. that is, the city has obtained
nothing. but the corrupt officials have
grown rich by the sale of these fran
chises. II the city had received fair
F.. Il IL