A STEP BACKWARD. 164 
way. Granted. Yet in the history of those elected on 
personal grounds for a personal purpose—without other 
aims or other merit,—their stay in public life has been 
of short duration. 
These methods of the inception of legislators and 
legislation as herein stated are not confined to any one 
party or State, but is almost universally accepted as a 
‘‘graft” in American politics that can only be rooted 
out by a moral discipline from fearless teachers and 
churchmen who have foresight. and philosophy enough 
in their mental components to note the direction as a 
race to which we are drifting, viz: to the moral indif- 
ference that has always immediately preceeded the 
downfall of the most enlightened nations of past ages. 
But in these times corporate power in its dealings with 
legislators and legislation,does many meritous acts that 
would fail of enactment were they hostile or indifferent 
to the merits of the same. The bridling of the iniquit- 
ous liquor traffic and its demoralizing attendants is 
due to the edict of the railroad interests, the fearless- 
ness of the leaders of a powerful church and the em- 
ployers of skilled laborers, To the railroads it was an 
act of self preservation. At its most hopeful stage, 
the numerous railroad wrecks and the destruction of life 
on the American railroads is great. With the indis- 
criminate use of whiskey it would be appalling. The 
employers of skilled labor also saw the necessity of 
curbing the liquor drinking habit among their employees 
and in this way the advocates of temperance found 
powerful helpers and well wishers. 
But there are times with other measures that come up 
for legislative action, in which a strong or guiding mind 
