The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-06-15

and it is an accepted fact that to graft
In public office is a part Of public life
and part of our economic system;
system that cOmpels every one to
make profit, and to make all he can.
Today 1t has grown to such an extent
that every effort is questioned "How
much is there in 1t for some one"
Under it the Golden Rule is abrogated
and the rule of gold steps into its
place while unity of interest resolves
itself into three cornered fight of
grafters.
Ours is peculiar age. 1t is an age
Of loot and law. 1t makes paupers
the widows and orphans and gives the
proceedings to libraries and univer-
stiles. We find men who are Mr.. Hyde
in business affairs. and DR.. Jekyll
when they come into the lime-light of
publicity. Who conduct bible classes
on Sundays and are heartless graf
ters and money grabbers on Mondays.
1t is an age of frenzied finance. Law
son tells us a story of financial crimes
that is appalling. Steffins, in his
"Shame of Cities" has ferreted out
tales of municipal graft. that for en-
ormity have made mere puppets out OF
Nero and his Roman colleagues
Never was our country SO thoroughly
informed about grafters and their
methods as now. but the man of af-
fairs will still allow business inter-
ests to corrupt men in places of au-
thority while he shudders and stands
aghast at the wrong doing of the or
binary criminal. When we consider
the great part played by money to-
day, it is not to be wondered at that
in many cases we find the business
man against the mayor, when in the
crusade against vice there is liable
to be consequential loss of trade.
The trade of the under world is large,
constant and profitable, cash trade.
or. at least, collections are closely fol-
lowed up. The unfortunate creatures
pay a large margin of profit to cover
possible risks. Most of the money
poured by prodigality into the lap of
vice, runs back somehow into the re-
tail trade. The doctrine of self first
and good government only when it
does not interfere with self is the
connecting link which unites business
with corrupt officialdom, and as long
as this alliance exists, as long as lead
ers of society, pillars of the church.
prominent lawyers. and our captains
of industry, combine to protect and
encourage these income producing
vices. there is built up an influence
which will cut short the career of any
official who dares to oppose.
The frequency and Odium Of recent
exposures have caused even the I'M
informed to pause and take notice and
the European papers have informally
referred to America as Graft Land"
Have we not had sensation after sena-
ton forced upon us in such a way as
to justify this epithet? In New York.
our great metropolis, we have seen a
community that is under the despotic
dominion of the greatest combination
| for graft" ever known in this coun-
try. We have witnessed defalcations
of bank presidents of national reputa-
ton and of heretofore spotless inte-
gritty. We have seen our great insur-
ance companies MIXED by our idolized
senators, and by prominent men who
had wormed themselves into our pub
lie confidence. The finger Of graft has
besmirched the fair names our sister
universities and it would seem that
| public conscience is dead Even
| the labor unions, founded as protec-
tive institutions for laboring men, have
shown themselves to be under the
control of CRATER presidents and graf
ter secretaries, who threatened strikes
when they were in need of money and
from whom the employers bought their
immunity for consideration which