CORRUPTION IN PUBLIC LIFE 303 



office created either by the constitution, or by the laws author- 

 ized by that instrument, is a pubUc trust created for the pubUc 

 benefit." 



While, however, few deny flatly and openly the truth of 

 the doctrine thus laid down, it is practically contradicted 

 every day and in all parts of the union ; for seventy five years 

 we have permitted our public oflices to be treated as mere loot 

 in a political warfare — not as trusts belonging to the people, 

 but as spoils belonging to the victors. 



Moreover, since the pecuniary value of many offices can be 

 largely increased by adopting latitudinarian views as to certain 

 lines of official conduct, an absence of prejudice is soon culti- 

 vated against ''tips," ''sugar," the "plugging" of corporations 

 and other practices with conventional and euphemistic names 

 which cloak such bald terms as extortion and bribery. Three 

 years ago, during a public hearing before the Maryland state 

 senate as to a corrupt practices act, advocated by the Balti- 

 more reform league, on whose behalf I appeared, it was openly 

 stated by one of the most experienced politicians of the state, 

 without dissent from any one, that certain wealthy corpora- 

 tions habitually contributed liberally to the campaign fmids of 

 both the leading parties, in return for an implied, if not an 

 express, pledge that they should dictate legislation affecting 

 them in case of the success of either; and the fact that the bill 

 in question made criminal any contribution for a political 

 purpose by a corporation was universally admitted to have 

 been the principal reason for its defeat. 



Civil service reform, in fact, applies a caustic to the very 

 ulcer in our politics in the application of morality and common 

 sense to the choice of public servants. The typical American 

 politician as developed by the spoils system of politics, earns 

 his living by holding, when he can get it, a public office, in 

 return for past or expected party works; to get rid of him and 

 his work, we must thoroughly eradicate from our own minds 

 and those of our fellow citizens the absurd and wicked notion 

 that offices are spoils. This must be our first step if w^e would 

 purify our politics, and so long a step that it will go far to 

 render needless any further steps in the work of purification. 



To understand, indeed, how the spirit of Christianity or 



