The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-11-12
Political Graft.


f'dpef Read Before the Chdutdttqua Circle.
Graft is a polite name for stealing
ana is different from common theft,
only, in that it is tie act of trusted
employees rather than that Of habitual
criminals; or, might say, that it is the
absorption of a portion of property
rather than the complete seizure of the
whole. But he that as it may the ques-
tlOn l wish to ask is as follows: Can
graft be eliminated from the politics
of this country That it can be, in d
seuse that the grafters hands can be
kept out of the public treasury is cer-
tain.
Petty thlevery will 60 on in public
and private business until the world
becomes altogether righteous, but plum
der on large scale as thru numerous
channels in single enterprise (scch as
that pulled off 10y the Penns1 lvania
politicians in the erection of their
$13,OCO,O0O capitol, about forty per cent.
of which was graft,) can and should be
prevented in public as we'll as in pri-
vate enterprises. But in order to ac-
compish this two conditions are nee
essary; one of these is public spirit OIL
the part Of the individual and the other
is business system of administering
public business. La the one case law
is invoked, in the other integrity is
esta ablished.
The presence of d dominating public
spirit in any community will "turn the
grafters out" and keep them out of
public office. The problem of arousimg
and sustaining that public spirit will
work itself out, slowly but surely, as the
individual comes to sense of his own
stake in the good name and the mate
rial weil-being of his community.
Aitho believe the honesty OF every
individual is OF greater value than is
the machinery of law, am aware that
it is undermined by many temptations,
Which can he greatly reduced by the
fear Of imprisonment aud public dis
grace accompanied by disability to oc-
cupy any other office Of public trust,
and 10y the recognition of honorab ble
service. And integrity, which lies at
the basis of all human Intercourse, and
which is to be much more fre quently
found than is dishonesty, tho it is less
exploited, should receive a recognition
which is not always accorded to it, that
Of being OF il iifinlteiy m re value than
is the accu,DuIatiun of money.
You are all familiar with the many
maguzine articles, relating to graft,
that have been before the public for
the past eight OI ten years. These ar
ticles have done much toward exposing
graft in Chicago, Minneapolis, Phia-
delphia and other cities and have been
the mealis of making many people be-
lieve that American cities are the worst
governed cities in the world. nov You
all know that there is some exaggera-
tiOn in ali this, for the devil is neverus
Lldck as he Is painted Our city gov
ernments are not always composed of
representative men, at least | DON'T
think that sO-called reform govern
ment officials who seem to think that
by being uncivil, cold and harsh, while
performing public service, should he
classed as such, for these are the people
who generally devote great zeal of
their time to small matters and seem
unable to handle the larger Or more
important questions.
do not wish to say that all rich men
are bad nor that all poor men are an
gels, but We all know that men are APP
pointed to office for party services, not
because they know anything about the
departments they are to have charge
of. An electrician should be at the
head of All electric department: a
school commissioner should be able to
do the Woik he asks Others TO do, and
SO all al Ing the line.
This ia a business propositions, which
ii put into practice would remove that
particular kind of graft that results
as consequence of carelessness. LII
any large factory were run OH the sys-
tenn by which many of our cities are
conducted it would be bankrupt in
in very short time.
Again q large amount of work is