New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-10
THE PREACHER on SIN.

In the Introduction to the collection in book
form OF his noteworthy series Of articles I'm
"McClure's Magazine" on corruption I'm Amerf-
can cities, Mr.. lincoln Steffens gives attention
TO the basis Of that corruption and the attitude
or the community toward it 1t is a common
saying that the politicians misrule us and de
fraud u.s. and the politicians themselves encour-
age that idea, being ready to bear oboquy as
one of the incidents of their profession pro-
vided the people can be kept self-satisfied while
enjoying with them the fruits of corruption
mat Is the true attitude of the courtier who
ministers to the vices OF his sovereign while
hattering him and loudly proclaiming his Writ
ues. Mr.. Steffens puts the blame Of political
corruption squarely on the people; not on their
carelessness or their ignorance and readiness
to be fooled, but on the settled seIfishness OF
the great body of them and their wish 10 profit
directly or indirectly from corrupt conditions
BE thinks the politician a pretty good fellow.
who gives in government what the market de-
mands and who If honesty were really the
spirit or the community, a matter Of self
interest would be honest He says:
The people are not innocent That is the only
news" in all the journalism OF these articles
and no doubt that not new to many observ-
ers. II was to me- When | set out to describe
the corrupt systems Of certain typical cities
meant to show simply how the people were de-
celved and betrayed. But in the very first study
st. Louis-the startling truth lay bare that
corruption was not merely political, II was
financial. commercial, social; the ramifcations
OF Doodle were complex. various and far
reaching that one mind could hardly grasp
them.
exposing and prosecuting a few bride takers.
The evil Is inherent in the system, and the sys-
tenn is nestled snugly in the human heart
PRESIDENT Roosevelt has been sneeTed at for
going about the country preaching as a cure
Tor our American evils good conduct in the in
dividUal, simple honesty courage and efficiency
''Plattudesl" the sophisticated say. PIatitudes?
If my observations have been true the literal
adoption OF Mr.. Roosevelts reform scheme
would result in "A revolution more radical and
terrible to existing Institutions from the Con-
gress 10 the church, from the bank to the ward
organization, than socialism. even anarchy.
Why. that would change all Of us-not alone
our neighbOrs not alone the "grafters." but you
and me
No: the condemned methods Of our despieed
politics are the master methods Of our bra cga IT
public affairs we practise ourselves in our pri-
vate concerns. There Is no essential difference
between the pull that gets your wife into so
Ciety or for your book favorable review and
that which gets a heller into office. a thief out
OF TAIL ard rich mans son on the board of
directors Of corporation; none between the
rorr1lniion of n labor union. bank end n po-
itical machine. none between "A dummy director
Of a trust and a clucus-bound member Of
legislature. the bride we pay to the
ianttor 10 prefer our interests to the landlords
is the little brother of the bride passed to the
alderman TO sell a city street and the father of
the airbrake stock assigned to the president or
a railroad to have this life saving invention
adopted on his road.
This Indictment may be bit overdrawn. and
# may be said that political and business mo-
rality are not very different from what they
were in other days. Perhaps John hancock
made his money in smuggling. Perhaps Robert
Norr,s,s adherence to the Revolution was due
70 HIS financial situation Perhaps, as JeTer-
son charged. Hamilton's funding schemes were
a method. akin to bribery, of bringing the bust
ness interests TO the support Of his doctrines and