The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-12-21
Why Investigations Fail.


WHY Investigations Fail.
The moral effect of Mr.. Blaine's sagacious
movement on the very first day of the ses-
sion, is to be impaired, if not lost, by the
action of the special committee appointed to
investigate the Credit Mobiiier frau Is, in sit
ting with closed doors. Nj. Blaine and the
gentlemen named with him in connection
with the frauds are likely to free themselves
entirely from suspicion, as they uuquestion-
ably are entitled to do, by the frankness and
courage with which they have met the
charges. But the sitting with closed doors,
no matter how little real significance that
fact may have, will always be regarded by
the public as evidence that it was "another
withdrawing affair." and that all the dam
aging testimony was "stiaed." Already a
strong impression has gained foothold that
somebody has .sinned, and though suspicion
has been completely averted from the gen.
tlemen who were first accused, curiosity min
gled with indignation has acquired two-fold
violence against the unknown malefactors.
If the report of the committee should excul-
pate everybody, as most reports of investigat-
ing committees do, public apprehension
would be very little quoted.
The chief obstacle in the way of the dis
covery and publication of truth by invcsti-
eating committees is the participation of
both political parties in the fraud. If one
party had clean hands it would push the
guilty persons unreIentingly to the wall, and
peculation and fraud would be conclusively
proved and promptly punished. But when
an investigation is once begun with energy it
is sooa discovered by the side which acts as
accuser that some of its own household are
involved. Thence arises a desire to pro-
coed tenderly, and a surprising harmony of
opinion among the members of the two politi-
cal parties on the Committee. Both wink very
hard and proclaim in one breath that t.ere is
nothing in it. The four investigations of
the paper credit, frauds in this State costing
about six thousand dollars in the aggregate,
were rendered mainly futile by this unfortu-
nate circumstance. If Republicans had FORTH
natsly monopolized the wrongdoiEg they
would have monpolzed the punishment also.
But there were so many Democrats mixed up
in the business that the opposition party was
always much more solicitous about clearing
its own record than fastening reproach on its
opponents as it might easily have done. So it
is when any charge of irregularity is brought
against any member Of Congress. We re-
member in particular enc occasion where a
prominent Republican Senator was charged
with taking an enormous fee for professional
services before committee. The Democrats
began furious onslaught upon the fes-tak'
ing Republican, when up rose Reverdy John
son and others of the most dgnifed and re-
putabIe Democratic Senators, declaring that
the practice of which the Republican had
been guilty was perfectly honorable and reg
ular, and that they had frequently INDUCED
in it themselves.
Men who are about to enter upon scheme
of plumber and fraud through the agency of
legislative body understand perfectly the re-
fiex influence of party spirit on zeal for inves-
tisasion and reform. They appreciate more
fully than any one else can the. security Of
forded them in the day of trial by the precau-
ton they have taken to corrupt men of both
parties. Every well-organized lobby, having
in view purp ose that is likely to be the OBJ
ject of future investigation and eensure, is
sure to embrace men of both parties, and, if
possible. all factions Vt both parties. Thus
the two parties, nominally so antagonistic to
each other, mutually support and cesure each
other in the accomplishment of wrong.
Each takes shelter behind the other
There are numerous ways in which
sharpers avail themselves of this prin
ciple. Ifa rogue has bad object to effect
with Legislative committee, he straghtway
gets a Democratic lawyer to speak for him, if
he~is Republican,, or Republican lawyer,
If he is Democrat. 1t Is curious to observe
how our own promising Augusta lobby is
made up equally of Democrats and Republic
cans. The timid Republican member who
hangs back, fearing the effect of some iniqui-
ty on the party or on himself is reassured by
finding himself solicited by prominent Demo
Gratis to take the wrong course. He then
feels little apprehension from such whitewash-
ing committees as may be appointed at some
future day.
The office of watching, criticising and re-
strainng the government in all its branches
is the peculiar function of q minority party.
Unable to carry out its own policy and un-
embarrassed by responsibility, it is in a posi-
ton to secure approximate honesty and eff
cheney in the public service by its pathetic
watchfulness and its natural partzan sever
ity in denouncing wrong. The Democratic
party is in this situation. If its leaders were
generally sincere and disinterested men they
might do the country much more impor-
tant service than if they were intrusted with
the management of its affairs. They could
richly afford to keep themselves unspotted
from the world, and to let the Republicans,
who, as the repositories of power are subject
to all the real temptations and buffetings of
Satan, take all the plumber If such course
did not restore them to power it would at
least compel their opponents to put only
their best men on guard. They would share
in the general good thus promoted by their
action. And if by their protracted and con-
sstent public morality they convinced the
people that they were more honorable and
virtuous men. than their antagonists, they
might then indulge rational hope of restor-
alton to their old governing position. But
now, when they claim fifty per cent of the
"swag' in every public robbery, and when
they are eager to participate in every raid on
the public tt easury, they present the singu-
lar spectacle of a party with the vices peculiar
to both minority and majority parties, with
the proper virtues of neither,
The account of the hearing on the postal
telegraph matter by the House Postal Com
mittee, as given by the regular Washington
dispatches gives the idea that Mr.. Orton an
initiates the Postmaster-General Fuller