The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-08-12


DO so, and that it was just as proper
for them to sell their votes as for
merchant to sell his wares. Here was
crime worse than any other, for
other offenses violate the law, while
bribery strikes at the foundation of
all laws. When the law denouncing
1t was not enforced bribery became
the usual accepted thing all over the
land. Corrupt men toasted and fat
tened at public expense; laws became
merchandise on the market. and all
this time the public conscience was
asleep
When the revelation came, and the
people saw how they had been plum
dered, and realized that government
by bribery is a government by the
wealth of the few and not by the peo-
pie. they saw the offense in all of its
enormity, and from one end of the
land to the other there was civic
awakening. The people had been
oblivious to the sowing OF the seeds
and the gradual development of cor
ruption. Especially was this true OF
the rural districts for after all 1t
must be admitted that the germ OF
bribery has it's beginning in the popu-
lous centers. At length the truth
became known, and knowledge spread
that bribery was ruling in many mum
icipalities. At first it was thought
that this condition was confined to
the cities. Then came another
awakening, and the people learned
that state officials were forgetting their
high commissions and becoming in
volved in the meshes of greed. Then
came the knowledge that some Of
ficials of the national government
were making of public Office private
snap, and that graft was ruling in
many of the departments of the fed
eral government. Then came stern
determination to stamp out the offense
that strikes at the heart of free gov
eminent.
The awakening came with the rev.
elation as to official grating, but as
| time progressed it was found that in
the growth of our commercial activ-
tiles the spirit of graft had entered
other departments of life. The direc-
| tors of great insurance companies
were using the funds held in trust for
their own profit, and contributing trust
funds. without authority, for political
campaign purposes. They may not
have known that this was wrong at
first. just as the official who tosk mon
ey for his vote did not regard his act
| as corrupt, but the people are taking
different view of the situation, and
demand that those entrusted with
funds of that character be held to the
same degree of accountability before
the bar of justice as public official
who prostitutes his trust.
| Monopolies, even law protected priv
/ ileges, are gratis. and should be hate
full to every fair minded citizen. I'm.
less the spirit of civic Righteousness
now abroad in the land dies out, and
there Is no likelihood of that, we will
pass from the sordid age of pure
commercialism into the age of high
ideals. Even now wealth is not re-
garded with the same awe that it
used to be, and gold is not worship
ped with the same devotion as of cd.
The idea everywhere is to get right
and to stay right.
The welfare of the city or state
should always be the first and highest
consideration. Some of you may be
long to this party-some may belong
to that party-but all should be pa
triots before you are anything else
The people-the average voter, you
and I, are responsible for the future
of this government If the American
Republic is to survive it must be
saved by the efforts of the patriotic
citizens who want nothing for them
selves but the advantages that viii
accrue from the general public veal
If the public learn to appreciate this
learn to know the dangers thai
threaten our future, and learn the
strength that rests with the voters
the future of the government is as
sured.
am not an alarmist, and do mo-
believe that the United States O
America will cease to exist as a re
public today nor tomorrow. We have
lasted for one hundred and thirty-twc
years-a long time when compared
with the average period of one mans
public activity, but short in the his