, 1873-03-05
CONGRESS AND THE INDEPENDENT
PRESS.

CONGRESS And TIE INDEPENDENT
+ PRESS.
From the ye.o York Journal ef Commerce.
No wonder that old politicians like Mr.. Hoar,
of massachusetts,, do not like newspapers! For
the independent press Of the United States is fash
becoming. it It is not now, the trst power in the
land; md VIC hope soon to see the day when Mr..
| Hoar's gloomy prophecy will be fulfilled, and
Congress take the proper place Of follower Of
public opinion as expressed through tho leading
journals, instead OF eeEaying to DO the guide Ii
! that part Congress makes very bad failure.
As at present composed, the msjority OF Con-
gres8 are deficient in originality and public
| spirit. and recent Investigations prove that
prefer that the deficiencies OF Congress ehould
be corrected by e1ectng only capable and honest
men to that body; after pretty thorough revo-
I luton has swept over the country, tho needed
| reform may bo worked out in that way. But nn~
til the people can be stirred up to the duty and
! necessity Of representing themselves st Wash-
ington BY majority Of brains and integrity, it
is incumbent Upon the independent press to con-
tinue in its sef-imposed task Of compelling Con-
gress to be honest and economical There ia
really no arrogance in making this statement.
II any man, not an editor, and in no wise in
terested in magnifying the standing and influ-
ence OF the independent journals, will look over
the files Of their issues, say for two years past,
A6 Hl1 Hull k1Gt ku51 HAVE uEcu Lua 4uHL1EALO18
Of every measure OF reform upon which Congress-
has taken any action. The independent prass
has opposed subs!dfes,-and subsidies have as
class, failed in the present Congress. Il haa
fought tho franking privilege, and that has been.
abolished. 1t has lidiculed without stint the ex~
trayagant appropriations for waste-paper under
the name Of Pub. Docs, and il that folly is not;
dead, it is dying. It has been the stanch advo-
cato OF amnesty to the South, and though the
end ia not yet reached, there has been marked7
III in the foatir1o and nrto oF
gress toward the Southern States.
But the most remarkable achievement OF the
independent press-that which demonstrates it's ;
power and its fitness to Weld power-is it's set
sorbin6 the attention Of the country. ALI these:
are directly traceablo to the Independent press.
Take the aingle case Of the Credit Mobilier:
s"indle. The party, some of whose lending.
members were most disgrscefully connected
with that scandal, had the strongest motives Tor
preventing disclosures and saving regulations in
high places. Neither that party nor any otho1
party in power would OF it's own volition have
The newspaper organs OF the majority are too
servlle to demand such an investigation. It is
their cue to apologize, conceal, and misrepresent
AS for party journals Of the opposition, thei1
motives Of attack are always questionable, and
command no respect from Congress, and but
little from the people>
Had there been no independent press, con-
troled by men free from partisan shackles and
1eady to aasail wrong-doing under whatever
name and patronage it ffourishea. the Credit
Mobilier inquiry would have been entirely barren
OF results. It was not originally designed BY
those who responded to tho challenge to ferret
out the Wrong-doing, but to cover up the fraud. =
and to vhitewash the men who had been pub
licly accused. But the independent press took
up the evidence as it leaked ont from tho Com
mittee, and finally compelled 8 more thorough
investigation
In Like manner the whitewaahipg of large =
part OF the guilty members has been 80 thor ~
oughly exposed By the sane fearless hands that .
the shortcomings OF tho Committee in their re-
port hare been overru1ed BY tho people in the
popular verdict OF condemnation. The guilty
may not be expelled from their seats, or suffer :.
any form Of official cengure, but they viii bo !.
duly punished outside Of legislative halls aud
be consigned to everlasting disgrace or obscurty.
Their punishment, thus severe, will DO q warn-~-
ing to bribe-takezs for al coming time.
The lnqnisitonB in the cases OF Pomeroy and
Caldwell and the Stock Exchange affair arc al
attributable to the influence OF the Independent:
prosa. Not one OF them would ever havo been
heard OF if the only organs Of public opinion
zero the old-faahioned newspapers, whose sole
duty it was to stand by the party that supported.
hem, with 70 regard for consistency, and but
title regard for truth.
veteran politicians are naturally alarmed when;
hey sec the real Government Of the country
1assing from corrupt and incompetent men into.
he keeping OF the independent psess. There,
nay it concentrate and remain until the evils
'gainat which We protest remedicd By the
Election of trustworthy men for office! That.
ione the presa will be only too glad to rest from.
ts great Labor ct exposing official corruption,
1ntil the need again arises for it's Interference.