What Does It Mean? by C. H. Bliss

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, Cal. · Feb 7, 1911

What Does It Mean?

By C. H. Bliss

HAT does it mean, when over two thousand American citizens in one county alone, living under the American flag,—citizens of a government whose officers are supposed to be elected by the unbiased vote of the people, sell their votes to the highest bidder?

And this is not an isolated case. Office-seekers openly confess that it costs more to secure an office than the salary amounts to. It is not uncommon, during election campaigns, for companies of men to agree together to sell their votes. And the man who commands the most money secures the election. Having secured his election by the use of money, his favor is sought by the use of money, and the poor man fails to secure justice in our courts.

In selecting officers for ancient Israel, the Lord commanded that men be selected who hated covetousness. Later, however, Israel became corrupted, and it was said of them that "from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness." The Lord said further of them, "They afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right." Because of these sins Israel was overthrown. So it was in Rome. Officers were bought and sold; the rich ruled, and money controlled her courts. But Rome fell. Corruption ever leads to disintegration. Truly we are living amid the perils of the last days, when men are covetous—lovers of money.

What can the poor man do when our courts are largely controlled by men who have once been high salaried lawyers for rich corporations? Just a few days ago a poor man who endeavored to enter suit for damage against a railroad corporation was turned down because he could not put up the money for the cost of the suit. The judge had been a corporation lawyer.

The prophet says of the last days, "Justice has fallen in the streets and equity can not enter." C. H. BLISS.