New-York tribune., 1874-01-01
THE ARKANSAS RING.

The startling feature of the Arkansas Ring
developments is not the amount OF money dl-
yided among "thieves and murderers" de-
puted at various times AZ posse con''fafus by
the u. s. Marshal, nor yet the fact of the di-
vision among that class Of people; the public
has become reasonably familiar with that sort
of thing; but when it is stated that many of
the murderers and thieves" are opponents OF
the Republican party the case assumes new
aspect, and one that demands and Will no
doubt receive immediate attention and inves-
tigation by Congress. SO long a. that rather
| undesirable and Improbable class in an Arkan-
sas community redeemed itself from the
charge of total depravity by supporting the
Administration vigorously in the intervals OF
dullness in the business of private assassina-
ton, it was not strange, nor, we might say,
unusual, for UnitedDStates Marshal, having
a proper regard for the interests of an Ad-
minstration which is doing so much for the
reform of the Civil Service tand the payment
of the National Debt, to encourage them with
office and its rewards. Nor did it matter
much whether they actually performed the
service for which they drew pay. Society
in Western Arkansas is in q somewhat
o weak and foolish prejudice there against the
practice which has obtained so extensively in
that and other reconstructed States. OF regu-
lating elections and managing tho State at the
National Capital. Men who sustain the Ad-
ministratiOn under such circumstances deserve
to be rewarded, and there is really no more
simple and entirely unobjectonablo process
than this Of appointing them deputies to serve
processes and make arrests, and to take their
receipt for the moneys paid them as for fees
But it seems these "murderers and thieves
are opponents Of the Republican party. The
case is without parallel. A great many eK-
cellent men, some of whom are in Congress-
who can understand very readily how this
class Of men might be deputized by the U. 8.
Marshal for the purpose Of drawing fees for
the support of the Administration, will be
shocked'at the revelation that they do not
support the Administration ct all. No time will
be wasted in getting at the facts, and the public
may rest assured that this incxcusablo abuse
of the confidence Of tho party will be stopped
speedily. The method adopted by tho Mar
shal was quite ingenious, and 1t Is to DO hoped
that 30 effective plan for strengthening tho
Administration will not be interfered with any
further than to prevent its being abused BY
admitting anti-Administration murdercrs and
thieves to its benefits and profits. Arkansas
being State blessed with Ku-Klux dis
turbances, 1t was an easy matter for the
United States Marshal to depuths s55 resi-
dents Of Fort Smith to mako arrests, and quito
in the natural order for these 255 10 make
arrests enough to como to S23,6l0. Tho only odd
thing about it was that but 40 Of the deputies
could be found. and of these only IS had ever
served a. deputies. But the State was saved.
and that was worth o great deal moro than
$sS.6lO. 1t would be pity to interfere with
80 snug an arrangement for disbursing the
nublia funds aud 1t is presumed that the ias