The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-03-06
Thimble.Rig.

l
public service was honeycombed with cor
rupt'on, that the Treasury was plundered,
that laZiness. dishonesty. and incompetent
cy Were installed In almost all the official
positions under Government, that mem
bers of Congress were engaged I'm corrupt
speculations based upon the prostitution
OF their trusts, and that there was a very
low standard ofpolitical morals and official
integrity erywhere-grlmbled and
complained in very general terms but
with great constancy. The press COM
mented freely upon the evil tendencies of
the times, and dealt out its foundations
of the prevailing corruption and vice Wig
orously ard unsparingly. Everybody
knew, for the papers were full Of Ii, that
We were in the midst Of dishonesty and
greed, and that the sources OF the turbid
tide that was sweeping over the land were
In the bad examples OfOilcial delinquency
and fraud in high places. No one called
NAMES. but In general terms the party i'm
power was held in great measure re-
sponsibe for the decentralization The de-
mand for reform in the Civil Service grew
out of II and became so clamorous that the
Administration party was driven to do
something To appease II in the shape OF
the clever piece OF trickery known as the
Civil Service Commission. which, after
been turned over to the tender mercies of
Mr.. kellogg's Committee for punishment
after death
liz j. hardly necessary to remind any one
who has kept track of the political Discus
sions in and out of Congress for the past
two or three years how this method of at
lacking stupendous abuses in general
way, without specifications or personal
exemplification, was received by the
supporters and organs of the party i'm
power. This is only the mischlevous
gabble of a sensational scandal-bruiting
press they said. There is of course
more or less of dishonesty and corruption
in all parties. and among all classes; but
no more now than at any previous time.
The party i'm power is not responsible for
il. It's Representatives are the purest and
best men in the land. its legislation the
wisest and most salutary; its principles
and ideas those OF the most rigid morality,
and its administration as pure and ire
proaclAblc n Is possible under human
limitations" And then they said, IF
there is so much official wrong-doing and
such a prevailing corruption in high places,
why do not those purists of the press name
the offenders. that investigation may be
had and the guilty ones punished. Give
Us the specifications
months period of specifications. Offend
ers have been named. ofienses specified.
and Investigation demanded. In more
cases than some Of the unsophisticated had
any idea of. investigation brought out con-
elusive evidence of the truth of all that
had been charged. Members of Congress
who were above suspicion were found TO
have been more or less deeply interested
in speculative enterprises of a character a
little worse than doubtful. whose success
depended upon their votes a legislators.
Senators were discovered to have accepted
money from great corporations, which TO
the unregenerate mind seemed marvellous
" like retainers. while their subsequent
action in the Senate had 30 much the char
acter of service rendered that no suit for
the recovery of the money on the ground
of no consideration could have stood a
moment i'm any court: other Senators
were proven TO have paid for their election
in open market. and wherever the
probe of investigation pierced. venality.
bribery. fraud. and all forms Of
official dishonesty were exposed. IL
was the era OF specific oifenses.
The gentlemen who year or two ago de-
nounced mendacious press for its sweep
ing accusations of fraud and corruption,
and demanded either specific allegations
vi isNt NuhtAHE
full Their answer we need hardly quote.
Ii is the by-word of politics. Throughout
the country there has been such lifting
upward Of white hands and rolling heav-
onward of white eyes as could not be sur
passed should all the solemn line of Phar-
isees, from him of the Temple down. re-
peat with one accord their thanks that they
are not as other men. - Is character TO 90
for nothing z" they ask indignantly. Are
we to investigate the conduct of our purest
and best men at the bidding Of libelers and
slanderers II this thing is TO continue,
nobody Is safe" Senator Patterson Of
New Hampshire left the Senate last March
utterly Disguised at this state of things.
Mr.. Pomeroy of Kansas is very much OF
the same way of thinking. Attorney-Gen-
eral Williams is in profound sympathy
with them. Mr.. Starkwcather of Connec-
ticut is more deeply impressed than ever
with the recklessncss and mendacity OF the
independent press, and ex-senator Harlan,
through his newspaper lifts up daily
wall over the want0n malice OF these
grossly offensive attacks upon private
character
These are the two thimb'cs of the gen.
tlemen who live upon politics and stand
by the Constitution and party. To all
general charges of corruption. they offer
general denials and demand specific allie
cations. When specific allegations are
made. they reply, "Oh. this matter Is
getting personal. These attacks upon in
dividuals are simply brutal" The people
have tried both thimbles. It's game that
men Of reasonable degree Of sense don't
get fooled on but twice. and the thimble-
Triggers had better get ready to change the
game or move AWAY. J.. Tribune.