The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-11-26

man In the language Of modern poll
tics. a safe man is one who may be {
depended on to conserve the private In I
terests Of a corporation against those
OF the public. The moment an elective
or appointive official so far forgets HIM
self as to permit his impractical mo-
tons of right aud wrong to interfere
with his subserviency to the private
interests which permitted him to hold
office that man Is doomed politically.
All Of the weapons at the command OF
injured money are turned against him.
He Is held up to ridieule In public
prints. He Is barred from the gates Of
society. He may ask in vain for the
favors OF a bank. He has committed
the objectionable sin. His fate IS held
ND as an example and warning to
those who would practice statesman
ship at the expense Of dividends"
Il cannot believe 1t Is as bad as that"
exclaimed Judge Sawyer. Il am aware
that conditions are deplorable, but do
you not exaggerate themT'
II am not given to exaggerationF re-
turned Colonel Monroe. but i have
not said that conditions were deplora-
BILE. | am simply asserting that organ
Ted money Is in power and that states
manship Is not wanted OK apparently
needed. We shall change our ideals
| after awhile and look back on the per
formances OF the people Of today with
some amazement and perhaps disgust |
4 / am ever an optimist. 1t must have
| been necessary TO have this era Of cor |
/ porate rule or else II would not have
been ordered The average citizen Is
only beginning to find out that his vote
cuts no figure, but he Is 50 busy scram-
bling to get the best OF somebody else
that he pays little attention to his dis
covery. When the majority Of us make
the more important discovery that we
cannot all be Rockefellers and that the
desire for inordinate wealth Is the most
Idiotic Of mortal passions we shall turn
our attention to something else. Ev
erything runs In cycles. and standards
of morality change the same as fash
ions"
DO you not think that the majority
OF people are honestY' asked the judge.
They think they are honest" was
u
thus deluding oneself, but do not
believe that a thoroughly honest peo-
, pie would consent to be governed by
an admittedly dishonest set Of officials
and representatives. The personal hon
esty Of a community does not grade
very high when ii returns to office
; men known to be corrupt. That hon
esty which lacks the intelligence to
dominate a situation Is OF a weak, mega
= tive sort. It Is probably better for all
concerned that a country should be
ruled by masterful rascality than by
, honest imbecility. History proves that
, except at brief intervals nations are
ruled by their intelligent factions. In
ancient times this class ruled by the
+ sword. 1t now rules by the bank. the
5 syndicate or the corporation. 1t has
e fashioned new weapons, but It ms NJ
use for the statesman.
I THE arrangements Of these greai
Z enterprises now consider 1t perfectly
8 proper to defray the campaign expense:
o Of both parties. Your average sleepy
|. citizen who esteems himself a voting
: sovereign is not called on to pay {
i penny into the campaign treasury o.
n the party to which he yields a proud
3 allegiance. There was a time wheI
q he paid what he could afford into tn
L common party fund. He purchased hi
II torch and his marching suit and pai'
e railroad fare for the privilege of trudg
4 ing I'm line to the glory and advantag
Il Of his party Now he pays no assess
II. 20 1F
II II he marches, he Is paid for 1t In ad
n vance-at least in most communities
be He is paid for serving at the pollin
N booths as the representative Of nj
to party In many instances he Is pal
Q, for the time and trouble expended 1
to casting his vote. Are these not factsF
Is Il an ashamed to admit that the
re are said Judge Sawyer.
n "Of course they are facts. Whn
ly sense Is there In hesitating to adm
to them? Al election Is a necessary eyi
"a the possibilities OF which are largel
adj avoided by the discreet use OF none
OF contributed by those interests whic
re are menaced OF course mistakes SOM
to times happen-as for instance, the ele'
y" ton Of that man Folk in st. LOuis-bt
We such occasional slips Of the cOgs are
Of be expected. Since certain interest
ass pay all the expenses It IS no more TIA
a natural that they pass upon the eand
be dates. Safe men are selected by a
all effective system Of examination, Il
ate platforms are written. and the electiC
ian proceeds. Once IN awhile a conventic
! nominntes an unsafe man. and the
/. Is the machinery Of both parties Is set
in motion to encompass his defeat
Ius has as much chance as a SNOWFALL
Who the crater Of nm active volcano.
to Under these conditions we deyelC
tics 4 scanty crop OF Websters. Clays, Ca
10y houns, Jeffersons and men OF the tyl
Of Samuel Adams. But this Is d
re-" ferent era. We are engaged in man
featuring and banking. The lnwye