The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1920-01-23
fraud, if such was the case.

L IL
"A man or group of men, who will
use money or influence or any other
means to obtain office dishonesty
commit treason just as certain as the
man or group of men who advocate
and practice the doctrines of anarchy
In fact, the corruptionist is more
dangerous element, because a more
insidious enemy Of the government.
Government in this country does not
consist of the executive, the legislative
and judicial departments. They are
merely the instruments that function
for government in America Our gov
eminent consiss Of the people who ex-
ercise the franchise, and justice, hon
or, equity and the common rights de-
pend upon the manner in which the
franchise is exercised. If voters are
corrupted or deceived into an I'M
worthy choice government has failed
by the measure Of the error or derelic-
ton involved in each particular case.
This is our greatest danger today. In
fact it has been our greatest danger
ever since wealth came into the hands
of so many of the INSCRIPTIONS. We
can fight and defeat the bolshevist by
force, if necessary, but the craft and
cunning of the unprincipled are much
more difficult to deal with. Democra-
cies that preceded ours fell not from
the pressure or intrigue of outside
enemies or because of the seditious
efforts of the anti-social elements, but
by reason of the corrupting Influence
of money in the hands of the unscrup-
ulously ambitious.
But, if the indictments against
Senator Newberry are founded in fact
that doesn't mean that America is lost
II the crime has been committed and
the criminals are allowed to escape
full punishment it will be dishearten-
ing, but not hopeless. AS countries go,
and measured by the eras of history,
this is still very young nation. And
while We are old and sophisticated in
some things, in others we are as cal
low and emotional as boarding house
school maidens. When first aroused
by some great indignity we are apt to
become as violen. as untamed savages.
But our anger dies as quickly as it is
aroused. We lack stern, retributive
purpose, that constancy of purpose
that makes law effective This imma-
ture and unstable trait in our char
lacter as people is glaringly Illus
trated every day. A hidious crime is
committed. The people of the commu-
nifty in which it is perpetrated rise
up in fury and start the quest for the
perpetrator baying like a pack of bea-
giles, but by he time they have run
their quarry to earth they have eX-
hauted their wrath and their erstwhile
hot passion too often melts into a
maudlin compassion that expresses
itself in futile speculations about the
early life of the poor benighed Grim
inal, the possible evil influences of
Association and environment that
led his footsteps into hayward paths,
until finally silly, sentimental SYM
pathisers are carrying flowers, and
books and delicacies to the red handed
brute who is temporarily languishing
in Jail. Then finally a jury of his,
peers, if it is possible for the lawyers
to pick one of his interiors, convicted
more by the coddling ministrations of
the tender females who feed bonbons
and bibles to the prisoner during the
! trial, and his relatives, bring in YER
dict of not guilty. Or, if by rare chance
the jury performs its duty honestly
and the judge happens to be worthy
of the bench and the beast is condemn
ed, the community which a short time
before sought him with vengeance i'll
their hearts and hempen ropes in their
hands, in part at least respond to
pleas for clemency and sign their
names to petition for pardon. So it
goes throughout this fair land of ours.
Criminal after criminal is permitted to
escape punishment, even find them
selves exhalted into sorts of martyrs
! with tears falling for them instead of
their unfortunate victims. This is not
the exceptional course of justice in
this country, but a frequent and COM
mon occurrence. In fact it is almost
universal. The exception, in fact, is so
striking that it is considered worthy