National Republican., 1875-09-13
WHICH Is THE REFORM PARTY IN NEW
YORK;

breeze, with a stern purpose, so far as IS
possible, to carry out in good faith their
promises to the people. The Republican
party of that State is and should be enlisted
in the work of reform, from the fact tina:
the record clearly convicts the Democracy
of guilt in the frauds and depredations that
have been committed upon the State treas
ury. 1t is true that Gov. Tilden has as
sumed the role of detective, and makes
ardent professions of devotion to the work
of ferreting out and bringing the guilty
parties to justice, and while his professions
and acts, SO far as they are consistent with
his professions, are emineptly laudsble, he
never can show q full measure of public
confidence as to his sincerity, so long as
it is well understood that he is thorough
partisan, and that the offenders are chiefly
of his own political faith.
On scrutinizing the list Of those already
caught in the meshes of the net which he
has cast, and who appear to be deeply i'm
plicated in canal frauds and robberies, we
find them to be chiefly of the Democratic
persuasion politically, and in full standing
in that faith. For this reason the Gov
ernor would be entitled to credit for the
zeal he manifests, were it not for the further
fact that while he leads the cry of reform,
and would fain make the people believe
him sincerely enlisted in the work, he is ex
ercising the pardoning power to an almost
incredible degree, and is swelling the Demo
cratic voting ranks by clemency which
opens the prison gates Of the State to
startling extent. The cause of justice does
not gain much when the executive raises a
cry against crime in one breath, and the
next half dozen are used to declare free
dom to as many criminals. In such
case the odds is largely against good gov
eminent and the rigid punishment OF crime.
The party which Governor Tilden repre-
sents at the State capital Is not the reform
party per 80. History teaches the lesson
that it is not to be trusted in the work of
reform, for the reason that 1t is really the
criminal. A comparison of the periods
during which the canals have been under
Republican and Democratic rule may be
instructive and profitable in establishing
the responsibility OF existing frauds and
depredations as well as Of general misman-
agement. The Republicans had charge OF
the canals from 1866 to and including 1869.
The cost OF keeping these internal water
channels in repair and operation during
that period-and it has been under the head
Of repairs that the main frauds and wrongs
have been committed-was IS, III, ,833.
The Democrats came into power and took
possession Of the canals in 1870. and had the
undisputed control of them for three years.
During that period the cost of repairing and
operating these channels of commerce was
S7,733, 265. The surplus canal revenues
during the period of Republican rule ag-
gregated s11 1880, 994, against 81, 373, 419 for
like period of Democratic management.
These simple facts are sufficient to establish
against the Democratic rule certain con-
viction of its extravagance and dishonesty.
Then, again, the most prominent of those
who are arraigned at the bar OF justice and
public opinion as fraudulent depredators
upon the State treasury are active, efficient
and honored Democrats, as men are hon.
ored in that party. The Lords stand pre-
eminent in this list They are high priests
in the Democratic church, and have, by
stratagem and corruption, controlled the
elections in their districts, which are at
heart Republican, to an extent that has Sc
cured their own preferment whenever their
ambitions have led them to desire positions
of prominence in the executive and iegis-
lative branches of the government. These
Democrats have been prominently identified
with canal contracts for years, and are en-
joying high degree of affiuence, derived
from that source. While the elder of this
family, who has shared, probably, more
literally in the fruits of canal fraud and
jobberY than its juniors, is indorsed by
Governor Tilden as can honest man." he
is hunting the son with commendable zeal
In this way the executive pursues the son
with vigor, and propItiates the father for
that action by indorsing him as can honest
man, when he was not ignorant of the
fact that the father had educated the son
'in the ways that are dark" in canal job
berry, and had shared largely Of the fruits
that had been garnered by the two.
We could cite other instances in which
Democrats have enjoyed the benefits OF the
rotten contracts and fraudulent perform.
ances connected with the canals of New
York, which will show thai party to be far
deeper than any other in the mire of fraud
and corruption. While Governor Tilden
may desire to make for himself a reputation
as reformer, he viii take good care in the
end of the members of his party who are
Involved in corruption and crime. The
only hope of true and permanent reform is
through the Republican party, whose rec
ord stands pre-eminent for honest purpose