The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-04-14
Grand National Rat Dens--EEON
[For the Spirit. ]

the dens Of corruption at Washington are
broken up. The colossal swindles which
are Systematically perpetrated there
would, if brought to light, make old
Corruption himself stare with open.eyed
astonishment.
At least one hundred million dollars
per year of the money which attempts
the dangerous Journey from the peoples
pockets to the public treasury gets cap
tured in the traps which are set for it by
loyal officials. Another hundred million
gets swamped in the outset among the
whisky arings," inspectors and detect
ives. OF that which successfully runs
the gauntlet, very large share finds Gu
rious rat-holes leading from the treasury
vaults to loyal purses.
Owing to the vigilance of investigating
committees in suppressing testimony, the
aggregate amount annually stolen can
loUly be spproximsted. The best author
Iities estimateiit at about three or four
times the amount that formerly betrayed
all our government expenses. The aver
age amount stolen every quarter is con-
siderably greater than ell that was stolen
in the fifty years preceding the advent Of
these loyal experts.
But let the Democrats obtain majority
| in the next House, turn few hostile
committees loose among these dens, and
there viii be such a scampering Of loyal
scamps for Canada as has not been wit
messed since the first draft.
I The plunder-mongers know very we'll
that Radical committees will not expose
their rascality. The RAIDS are too sound
on the goose to damage their party by
such betrayal Of their trust. And the
sad fate of the New Orleans detective is
q warming to all officials, that the maxim
"honesty is the best polity" has no ref.
erence to the "policy" Of the Radical
party. He rashly made public the fact
that a ring of loyal distillers had organ
lied and bargained with the inspectors,
and were paying tax on just one barrel
Of whiskey out Of each twenty mannfac-
tured by them. Unhappy mani He
is now looking through jail-bars with
half a dozen indictments hanging over
his head. 1t must be admitted, however,
that very few Radical officials are guilty
of such an un- Radical ofense.
Que man, or adozen men, cannot sue
cessfully tackle the plunder organization.
The 'sdistiller's ring" Of that organiza-
ton has proved itself strong enough to
prevent. gonggess from reducing the4ax
on distilled spirits, while it is notorious
fact that the market price of whisky in
New York is from ISL 40 to $3.50 per
gallon, with the government tax of So, ,OO
lper gallon "paid" Under the present
arrangements the rascals, Of course, have
monopoly of the business.
But the whisky ring" as only squad
belonging to the grand army ofrats. They
hold high carnival in every department
of the government. One jolly gang Of
them prints, on the government press,
forged bonds of which few million
turn up every few months. Another
pleasant little party prints coupons in enc
end Of the Treasuryibuilding, and draws
the gold on them in the other end. In
short there is no other branch of the
government business despatched with SO
much "certainty, security and celerity''
as the stealing branch. Swindlrng,, long
since reduced to a science, has now be-
come one Of the fine arts. - 90
q Is any man fool enough to believe this
wholesale plundering is to be checked
while the people endorse it at each snc-
ceeding election by retaining the plum
derers ia po#er2 Is it to be broken up
by electlng to Congress such men as Jim
Ashley, with his corner lots in Kansas?
Or Ben Butler whose name has become
a synonym for petit larceny2 The his
tory of the last five or six years answers
these couundrums in the negative.
Give the Dmocrats majority in the
next House-set few Committees, Of the
terrier breed, among these rat dens
and their ~sspoft will contain the best
reading for tax x.payers that has ever been
printed at the Governments expense. Il
the history of "The Forty Thieves" is
entertaining, what may we not expect
from aThe History of the Forty Thou
sand Thieyesl''
Even if we concede to the Democrats
no more integrity than to the plunder-
mopgsrs, yet the very instincts of party
interest will compel them to unearth the
rodents; and when tie interest Of party
| is identified with the interest Of the peo-
Pile, there need be no fear of results.
g
tits well enough for the voters, every
once il a while, to enforce, by practical
illustration, the precept that picking peo-
ple's pookeis is not the surest way Of OBJ
tanning Their votes.