New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-11
CONGRESSMAN AND CORRESPONDENTS.

genius on this Is the other side OF the Atanlc'
QuonschOntaug r. L., July g. 1874 Gil A. e.
CONGRESSMAN AND CORRESPONDENTS
MR. PARTON AND THE WASHINGTON WRITER'S FOR
TIE PREsS-NOT ONE-HUNDREDTH PART OF En-
listing wICKEDNEss EXPosED-TnE WASHINGTON
CORRESPONDENT GENERALLY CAREFUL AND
ABLE JOURNALIsT-MORB OF MR.. PARToNs con-
TEMPT FOR FACTS
TO the Edttor Of The Tribune.
SIR: THE TRIBUNE has already answered
sufficiently the specific charges made by MI Parton N
Harpes against certain reporters but there is another
portion OF this most extraordinary article when Is
scarcely less deserving of notice 1t is that in which ne
discusses the relations between the much-maliGned
Washington correspondents and the politicians whose
movements II IS their duty to watch; and here, being
less in danger Of running against nopportune ana IN
comfortable truths, Mr. Parton gives his p'ayIu pen
full swing, and displays the same magnlhceht WILING
ness 10 sacrifice fact to sentence that characterzes
not only this article, but those historical novels which,
by Partonian of fancy have been called ,boe
raphies. He thinks the stories Of corruption which
come to us from Washington are often and even gen.
eraly the nctons of persons whose imaginatons are
more lively than their cOUscences. The innocent ctl
pictured on visit TO the Capital expecting 10 see
everywhere manifestations OF fraud bribery and the
and his amazement is fully detailed at hndng only
city shabby boarding houses and shabbier Doafders
fails TO see any cardprntng for the Court going on
i'm putlic and does not catch much glimpse OF
an official andaulet, and he goes home III cohteheu
frame of mind convinced that writers for the press are
all great liars. The only thing he can ma IN WASH
mgtOn that gives color 10 the statements OF contingent
fund pcnCs and the like "ls that several cOfrCspOnu
eus OF newspapers exc out their slender incomes ny
serving as secretaries to CONGRESSIONAL coinultteeS,
Nothing could he delicious than tBs except MI
Partons confession that he hunted thIee weeks ior
lobby and giving up the search In despair was assured
by 1.-THE GENIAL and veteran Perley thdt Tue loooy
was a gigantic myth" . . ,. -.
remark-"They say there's great deal OF corruption
here but never saw any UfS 'ha nave reycrscd
DOgenes quest ana joined in search through an Tue
ODbies and corridors OF he Caplt2l Tor gsneneS. "
AMI abandoned the attempt without discovering so
much The legislative cOrruplonlst Is not 10 DC
found with lantern ana stan Sohgressmen arc not ia
the habit OF taxing OrlDes IN the hose-cai nVl 10 Wv
card printing done on the sidewalk, nor are the landau
lets ALWAYS labeled belonging to the Department fOr
the Duplication OF stlte GoHerhmeh's 0r Wy Cphtt,
mcnt Of Asparagus for the Million. After the Crcult
learned that such coarse methods OF bribery trans
feTrng roll of creenbacks or losing cool thousand at
cards to the night bunging operaOns,O OF "lch
the accomplished lobbyist WOud NC asha'heu dnJ i
snake Washington keeps so low IN the grass ana
moves along lightly, that he Gao seldom be detected
with the naked eve and trail is invisible five min
utes after passed. There Is nothing so nara TO
o dcnv, as quit of this kind And it i. little
To note that all the things which Mr. Parton mentions
as the inventions of journalists have been proved DC
vond doubt and are. though perhaps the most reDsa
ona among the least serious reyelati1ns Whdn Ihpe
I hnen circuIatnc in the public prints, not tenth
OF what might have been sad mas oeeH anu NOT QUE
huudredth part of the existing wckednes5 mas Decl
brought light. There are many things which cannot
said they cannot DC proved though tDeJ may
be patent to every observer -
Under these circumstances the Washington CORE
snnnJent needs IN he as he generally Is a man keen
Insight, judicial fairness enterprise, and determinations
and tar as he performs his duties WIN e9nscen
ous integrity far he is man TO be upheld by the
force of righteous pubic opinion, aud not reviled by
partisan papers and Threatened by SENATORS whose
armor he has Iiddlcd. Admitting that large proper
tiouO of
thinks that the of the correspondents 0Verslaeh
their achievements contemplate for moment the state
of things that would II their existence were pro-
hbited they allies and not censOrs OF our puDc
eervautsi Tue constant watchfuness OF these men,
eager for the mercieSs telling IT, does more
TO repress wickenes and strdghen the backs OF tnOse
VINO would like to lean put do not dare to, tan all the
euacted The two or three men wno sit IN the
reporters gallery the jury before when the senate
or House pleads. They the channels through which
the whole country gets every morning It's Information
and its opinions OF It's representatives,, ana they nave
behind them millions OF intelligent people No wonder
they feared and detested by men whom they nave
exposed - ..-. .,, 90, mil, roco,ri,o Tho
truth of Mr.. Partou's about the bear" ten
dency OF the public mind. There are great many
people nowadays who seem TO prefer 10 elleVe man
guilty having him proved innocent But I'M; Is not
much the fault OF the men VINO made thc REVELATIONS
as OF those who did the things which were revealed
and while TO this result no doubt malicious careless or
corrupt correspOndentsfor there are suchnaVe con
trbuted must be remembered that tie increase III
accuracy fairness and independence which marks every
fire sh issue the metropolitan press decreases by just
so much the frequency and destructyeness OF I'M
founded charges and unntentional hunders To err
journalistic Ii Is easy matter to PRINT huge BOOK
every day and have II without naw bnt newspapers
while the Washington correspondents must not De
abused Ihey VIII compass iaNVra1{ Win w, any snr
put himself under the guidance of some of them, they
can convince him that there Is corruption even III gn
places, and that the lobby, though not always sganc'
is never myth. L.
Nep- York, July l, 1874.
IurIf, J1I ID