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Show AN UNWORTHY RETREAT. 1 ,M Some weeks ago the distinguished editor and U ijJJlU lecturer, Hon. Henry Watterson, declined permit- I MffilM ting his name to be mentioned as a candidate for Sllnffl Governor, and gave as his reason the corruption ralaiM of politics saying that no unclean dollar had ever flnnfl passed through his hands, and closed by wishing IHmI success to his party. If that was all the reason fifPliH the Colonel declined for, it indicates that some lit II 81 of his old courage is gone, for if politics are cor- if !fH nfFWU Hammi Im if rupt, it is because the clear edge of the people's m m integrity has been worn off by contact with money, M I and in such a case the candidacy of a man whom m if the people would know would not accept an office HH g unworthily obtained; his candidacy and his daily Hf m ' declarations from the stump that he would not HH W accept a dishonest vote, might indeed defeat him, Hm m ' but it would distinctly elevate politics in his State, H; I! j and it would supply something which the candi- B' ' m I date's honest neighbors could gather around. A H; , ffi , great deal of corrupt money was used in politics H ; H I in California during the first twenty years of the H II . ' life of that State. But at length Newton Booth K: ! H was spoken of as a candidate for Senator. When Ki ft, appealed to he wrote a letter saying how much he K i Ii would esteeem the great honor could it come to Bv Jl him fairly, but he added that if to obtain the of- UH O j, fice it would be necessary to expend one dishonest B; R dollar, he would spurn a commission thus ob- H Ii tained. His statement went directly to the hearts Km Iff I and consciences of the people and he obtained the Hr ; H ,1 office without exertion. It was a notice that, after Bgjl II I nll tne PePle as a whole desire to be honest and Bf If J ' desire honest office holders. It is only w' -n great IHe m I wealth stoops to debauch a people, th lthink- IKr pi " ing men forget themselves and thei. uutL under Db, j v a free government. It is a discouraging thing HHjji jp when a man like Henry "Watterson, in effect, ad- HH 1 , ; vertises that enough of the men of his State are He ,i f i; corrupt to make a balance of power in the State Hi M and to give the offices to whom they please. He H w j ought to have accepted and then from the stump Hf m il and through his great newspaper have pro- WK ; ; claimed that if elected he would devote his best E H I energies to securing fair elections and to passing K -I such measures as would punish alike those who B b. jj give or receive election bribes. Had he been beat- HJ 1 H ' en, still the moral tone of the State would have HH f i been elevated. But we do not believe he would HH It have been beaten. He would have received the flfjrf1 It i honest vote of the State, and honest men are still H&i r in the majority. |