The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-03-09
Editorial Comment
Political Corruption
New York Times)


Americans have recently been compelled
again to face disagreeable facts showing that
our public life is exposed to corrupt methods.
Even the most complacent citizens, who may
have waxed fat in prosperity, cannot shut
their eyes or stop their ears when the supreme
court of the United States declares that a
lease by the government was conceived in
fraud and tainted by corruption; when one Of
the principals in that transaction has been
held in contempt of court and sentenced to
Jail, while almost at the same moment there
have been fresh disclosures of his having been
deep in the confidence of the managers of the
party in power. To approach them, he put
money in his purse, and they were not averse
to taking all they could get of it. The lame
and lamentable attempts at explanations made
by Mr.. Hays former chairman of the Republic
can National Committee, in his examination by
the senate committee, have meant a renewal
of disgust and shame to many thousands
They can scarcely be blamed for suspecting
that even worse yet lies behind. Certainly
every stirring of that pool has brought loathe-
some creatures to sight.
Are the people callous to political corrup-
ton? Are they willing fatuousy to condone
it when detected-especally when it is de-
tected in their own party? Senator Reed OF
Missouri is ringing the changes upon the in
differences of the Republican administration
to political morality. He has several times
charged that President Coolidge has been as
dumb about it as an oyster lying on the beach
of Cape Cod. This is not true In an address
made in this city, not long after the naval oil
scandals had begun to be dragged to light, Mr..
Coolidge had few searching words to say
about corruption in politics and in the govern
ment. Nothing else, he declared was worth
talking about if conditions were such that the
people had reason to doubt the good faith and
i 1vN$n o( kAos. ~Cf 49,
of adherence he dwelt upon the need of cut
ting out the cancer of public dishonesty at 40
matter what cost or pain. Here is passage
which even Senator Reed could scarcely better:
At the revelation of greed making it's
! subtle approaches to public officers, of the
prostitution of high place to private prof
it, we are filled with scorn and indigna-
ton. We have deep sense of humilia-
ton at such gross betrayal of trust, and
we lament the undermining Of public con-
fidence in official integrity. But we can
not rest with righteous wrath. For
u.s. we propose to follow the clear open
path Of justice. There will be immediate,
adequate, unshrinking prosecution, GRIM
inal and CIVIL to punish the guilty, and to
protect every national interest. In this
effort there will be no politics, no partisan
ship It will be speedy, it will be just.
0Iu q RSUuUICdII, UuL ! CdllUOL OH LIlaC &C.
count shield anyone because he is Repub-
lican. ask the support of our people,
as chief magistrate, intent on the enforce
ment Of our laws without fear or favor,
no matter who is hurt or what the conse-
quences.
No doubt the President might have followed
this up in later months-this speech was de-
livered in February of 1924-with advantage
to his own reputation and to the public service.
But no one can question the sincerity of his
original utterance, made at time when it was
not certain that his party would renominate
him for the Presidency. In the campaign that
followed much was made by Democratic ora
tors and newspapers Of the oil scandals, which
left so bad smell on the garments of the
Republican Party. The result of the election,
in which the Republicans scored q great and
easy victory, was said by some cynics to prove
that the American people were perfectly indii.
ferent about political corruption in high places
20 more fish with Nearly all the remainder are buried
ia