The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-23
PUBLIC CORRUPTION.


tn he elected which are to choose United
States senator's. The imitation thieves who
wish to food the country with counterfeit
money, to the arrangement and detriment
of every honest employment; the salary
grab thieves who shamelessly robbed the
peoples treasury; the protection pirates
who constantly besiege Congress for spe-
cial legislation in the interest of their mo-
nopolies and against the interests of the le-
climate business Of the country; and the
whole brood of robbers from Laundalet
Williams and ''Boss" Shepherd down to
mail robbers and whisky rings must be got
rid of, and an honest and frugal administra-
ton Of National, State, County, and City
governments called into being in placelof
the corruptionsts who now grow rich from
the toll Of many millions Of people. The
points stand out so clear against the politi-
cal sky that all can see them, and the soon.
er the battle-g grounds clear of rubbish the
brighter will be the victory. Names are
nothing Party clap-trapis played. Prin
ciples are what the people demand, and
men Of principle to carry them into effect.
When the frauds of Tweed, Connolly,
and their confederates were detected in
New York, Mr.. Tilden, Mr.. O'Conor, and
other leading Democrats were jealous,
open and manly in endeavors to purge
tba;r MAMIE, oP tbot ;,,n,,;t,, 81 g. ,oo,,o
to the city an honest administration of its
affairs. The services which they rendered
on that occasion were eminently valuable
in public sense, and in the narrower
sphere of political consideration they were
wise.
That was the first stunning blow struck
at Ring rule. Slow as commercial COM
munity is to be diverted from its daily pur-
suits, even when robbed and outraged
without disguise, the Tammany thieves
were pursued until the deposed chief was
covered with a convict garb, and his gull
ty associates took fight in foreign lands
beyond the grasp OF extradition.
Impressive as was this example. it did
not deter others from following in the
footsteps of these condemned robbers
Corruption had seized upon the high
places and hOnors Of the republic. Con
gress was a collection of venal iobbers with
honorable exceptions. Railroad grants,
tariffs, moieties special legislation of all
kinds, contracts, and the like with inflated
prices, stock gambling and reckless cred
it, all cOnsDired to discard every warning.
So the lesson Of Tweed went UNDECIDED,
and the Washington Ring was founded on
Tweeds exact model, down to the very
forms Of carrying out the details In the
first year OF its existence the people pro-
tested against its oppression and extor-
tons. The comprehensive plan Of plum
der began to take large proportions even
in that short time.
committee of investigation was APP
pointed by the House, and in presence of
the most conclusive proofs of CORRUPTION,
eXorbitant prodigality, and tyranny. the
Ring men were shamefuly whtcwashed by
those interested in their profits and plum
der. That outrage cost the national treas
ury and the people of the District at least
twenty-five millions of dollars, to say moth
ing of the decentralization by which it was
followed
The Ring men proclaimed that result to
be their ylndlcatlOn, and instead of being re-
strained by prudence, launched out more
boldly than before, and were backed by
the President and his Administration
Thus supported they went before Congress,
and IN six weeks obtained three and half
millions OF dollars, more than halt ofwhich
was Tor alleged old work never claimed by
the former corporations Besides this
SUN they levied twenty odd millions on
the community.
After an uubridled career of License,
hardly below the experience Of South Car
DINA, Louisiana, and Arkansas, the Ring
has at last been brought up with round
turn. With the exceptions OF Mr.. Stewart
and MIR. Hubbell who have not disguised
their strong Partially for the Ring, and
the apparent sympathy Of Mr.. Allison in
the same direction. the committee have
been fair, judicial in impartiality, patient
and even torbearing with much irrelevant
matter.
As in all such cases, the labOring oar
has fallen upon one or two members.
Judge Wilson, Of Indiana who moved the
resolution in the House and became Char
man on that side, may be said to have per
formed the most work by reason of this
responsibility. Others might fail, but he
could not look back or rest until the task
was complete.
The actual toll has been immense, and
the difficulties almost insuperable from
complicated conspiracy to conceal the cor
ruption and its beuefciaries. In spite of
these obstacles, of a mass of perjury that
is appalling, of false books, suppressed pa
pers, cooked accounts, and unscrupulou
Justification, the guilt of the Ring stands
out glaring and revolving.
To the courage, calmuess, ability, expe
rionce, and tact of Judge Wilson, the dis
closures of this villainy are mainly due
Though he has been materially aided by.
Mr. Jewett, Mr.. Bass, Mr.. Thurman, and
MIR. Hamilton, he had to bear the bur
den chiefly, and never deserted the post of
duty, while all his associates have sough
relief from time to time. Asa Judge he
sought first to ascertain the truth. and as
a Republican to relieve his party from the
load if the charges were well founded.
Ills whole course has commanded the APP
probation of all uprigl t men, and in a cor.
responding degree invoked the hostility of
the Hing and its subsized organs, which
Is the best proof of his integrity.
IL has been proved that Ring was Or
ganized at the outset of the new Govern
ment that enormous frauds have been
perpetrated by false measurements, excess
siye charges, fictitious claims, duplicate
bills, dishonest book keeping, corrupt con
tracts, eollusiye bargains, and other forms
OF raseality. Tweed and company are out
done by Shepherd and his confederates.
Yet, with all these revelations. the crust
has barely been broken and the surface
only scraped. The personal corruption
ana division OF the spoils will yet come if
Congress shall do it's dutv and nroIonO th;s