| Show CARDINAL GIBBONS ON patriotism AND POLITICS THE april number of f the aora american review contains the usual quota of instructive articles furnished by that tha t brilliant magazine from the pens of able publicists on current questions of great moment conspicuous among the contributions to this number n um is a paper by cardinal gibbons the eminent catholic Catho Jio prelate on thle the absorbing theme ot of patriotism and politics the introductory portion of the article is mostly devoted to an explanation of patriotism aud and our system of government and of course relates nothing specially new further on he indicates as do many other thoughtful americans deep anxiety on account of dangers which appear to threaten the perpetuation of the republic to add force to his warnings war ainge heas beas many other writers on this subject have done depicts the situation of the roman empire prior to its fall and the causes that led to the catastrophe he shows shown clearly that the conditions which led to the demolition of the roman governmental fabric exist largely in this country ond nd he is apprehensive that a si millar result will ensue to this nation unless union adequate remedial means are applied in order to give a fair idea of cardinal Gib gibbons bonso views it will be appropriate to introduce some quotations fron from his hia article after stating that next to god our country should hold the strongest place in our affections he says saye history is philosophy teaching by example A brief review of the roman R republic e bublic and the causes of its downfall wil teach us a useful lesson the republic prospered so long as the citizens practised practiced simplicity of life and the civil magistrates adminis administered ered evenhanded even handed justice avarice and ambition proved its ruin the avarice of the poor was gratified by the bribery of the rich and I 1 the ambition of the rich was fed by the votes of the poor in the latter days of the republic bribery and corruption were shamefully practiced marius was elected to the consulship by the he purchase of votes and by collusion with the most moat notorious demagogues pompey and crassus se secured the consulship by intimidation though neither of them was legally qualified for that office the philosophy of Epic urup introduced during the thelast last year the republic hastened the moral and mental corruption of rome the loss of the political autonomy of greece which preceded that of rome may be traced to the same cause to the early romans the oath was sacred and perjury a detestable crime after detailing incidents showing the methods by which roman elections were carried lu iu some features they are similar to oases cases of political jobbery in this country the eminent writer insists that we to take warning by the fate of the roman empire to exhibit the justice of his comparison he says in every possible way by tickets ln in sinuously printed by colonizing colonizing aro sro repeating pea ting 1 and frauds frau 8 are aftem attempted and too often success successful fai on the alot ballot I 1 am informed by a trustworthy gentleman that in certain localities the adherents ot of one party while proof against bribes from their political opponents will exact compensation before giving their votes even to their own party candidates the evil would be great enough if it were restricted to examples of this kind but it becomes much more serious when large bodies of men are debauched by the bribes or intimidated bj b y the threats of wealthy corporations I 1 but when the very fountains of legislation are polluted by lobbying and other corrupt when the hand handoc of bribery is extended and not always in vain to our municipal state and national legis gators when our lawmakers law makers become the plaint tools of some same selfish and greedy capitalists instead of sub serving the interests of the people then indeed all patriotic citizens have reason to be alarmed about the future of our country countr the man who would poison the wea wella and springs of the land is justly regarded regard eWd as a human monster as an enemy of socie society tv and no punishment could be too severe severe for him Is he not as great a criminal who would poison and pollute the ballot box the unfailing fount and wellspring well spring of our civil freedom and of our national nati oual life here Is what he says concerning the treatment which ought to be meted out to those enemies of the common ith who by treachery and fraud seek to undermine our popular system let the minister of justice arise and clothed with the panoply of authority let him drive these men from the temple let the buyers and sellers of votes be declared infamous for they are trading in our american birthright let them be mat cast from the pale of american citizenship and be treated as outlaws that to la a grand sentiment and the cardinal follows it by another which us of KB its having been paralleled in this city by 0 chief ustice justice zane when a liberal tool mailed allen alien was on trial before his bis honor for having reported ported to trickery in order to gain an election for his party here it ii ic 1 I do not think the punishment too vere when we consider the enormity and far reaching consequences of their crime I 1 hold that the man who undermines our elective system is only less criminal than the ahe traitor who fights against his own country with a foreign invader the one compasses his bis end by fraud the other by force 91 the concluding part of the article embraces a number of remedial sug gest ions whick however are not new having been frequently advanced by other writers the cardinal practically admits this we think however that all of them are centered in what he be states Is their purpose to foster and preserve what may be called public conscience |
