12 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



it into being no longer exists, and only the remembrance of it remains 

 to quicken the pulses of party life. I need not mention instances in 

 our own political 'history which show us how quickly a gTcat scandal 

 as it appears at the time is forgotten. Energetic, permanent party 

 life cannot be maintained on memory. A single generation at most 

 will serve to obliterate the keen sense of wrong and danger, and then 

 for lack of living issues the evil will again creep in. 



The remedy which nature provides is the incoming of some new 

 and important positive issue which creates anew a strong, healthy polit- 

 ical life. Such an issue is very likely to arise out of the rashness and 

 self confidence of the men ■uihose corrupt course is degrading the 

 political life. It is a fortunate thing for the country if they make 

 such a mistake before the course of corruption has reached its extreme 

 limit. Such questions as the clergy reserves and responsible govern- 

 ment are samples in our own country sixty or seventy years ago. They 

 not only created a strong, healthy political life and brought to the 

 front our best types of Canadian statesmen; but they also gave us a 

 period of remarkable freedom from political corruption. 



But when in the enjoyment of a healthy and comparatively pure 

 political life, can anything be done to secure its maintenance. This 

 is a question of even greater importance than that of a cure. The 

 solution of this problem must be sought at the very source of the evil. 

 It is often said in a general way that we must raise the moral stan- 

 dard, especially in the political field. This is quite true. The 

 improvement of public sentiment, the quickening of public conscience 

 are all important and needful works. But they can only be brought 

 about by slow evolution. The life of a whole generation is needed to 

 accomplish even the least appreciable result. The do^vn.ward move- 

 ment in the field of politics is of a much more rapid character. It 

 does not wait for a whole generation of citizens to become morally 

 corrupt. It can find the material for its purpose, materies morhi, in 

 any ordinary generation of men and if the circumstances are favourable 

 its progress is very rapid. 



The first step in the course of political corruption is the substitu- 

 tion of party or personal thirst for power for honest party or personal 

 conviction as to principle. The next step plunges both politician and 

 party into the corrupt and mercenary struggle for the loaves and fishes. 

 The next step is not the securing of the regulation loaves and fishes, 

 but the plundering of the country. If this process of degeneration 

 is to be prevented we must guard the first step. Strong constitutional 

 limitations must be placed on the personal and party ambition. The 

 distinction must be clearly drawn between personal and party ambition 

 and zeal for honest even though mistaken convictions. We cannot, of 



