New-York tribune., 1875-08-20

and gush of their paper manlfestOes OF reiorm
we hold up to them the paper promise of
dollar issued upon the faith of that Govern
ment which they want to get hold OF to purify
and reform, and we say, "Never mind this
"large discourse about reform. Heres
"promise made by the Government. 1t has
"not been redeemed. Leave off making these
"milennial pledges of an era OF truth
"and purity; they cost nothing, and come
"to nothing. Here's promise that the
Government got dollar for issu-
"ing and must pay dollar 10
redeem-if we trust you with the Govern
"ment, what will you do with this piece OF
"paper that isn't the platform OF a party,
"but the solemn promise of a nation y This
is a fair test of the sincerity OF the gentlemen
who are so eager to give us reform. The
Democratic party has no such record in the
purity of its administration whenever and
wherever it has had power, or i'll the lnvarla-
bly, high character and unimpeachabe integ-
rity of its chosen representatives, that we
should take its bald promises of re-
forms without question. Nothing ia easier
than for political party to discourse
in this large way upon the abstract question
of reform. And nothing is easier than to forget
it, or to fail in reducing beautiful theory to
hard unsentiment1l practice. The general rot
tenness so graphically described by our Demo-
cratic friends Is rather in the nature of an alb
stracton the paper dollar under the theory
of the inflatonstS is a concrete lie. 1t may rs
we'll be understood first as last that no de-
pendence can he placed upon the word or bond
of party which talks all around the abstrac-
ton, but never looks the concrete promise OF
the paper dollar fairly in the face.
1t is idle to talk about leaving the currency
question open until the great reforms so Hip
pantly catalogred for us shall have been con
slinmated. With fundamental falsehood as
the basis of business, trade and currency, what
il the use in putterlng over the great crop oi
frauds and lies and dishonesty OF all sorts
which overspread The surface OF our politics
1t is dishonorcd currency, and the growing
familiarity in the popular mind with the idea
of ultimate population. ont of which spring The
greater portion of the dishonest practices, great
and petty, which honcycomb our politics. 1t
is only guackcry to treat the prevalent cor
ruption with lotions and liniments; the disease
lies deeper than the skin; it is in the blood,
the circulation; that must be first purified; /;
and that done the prolific source OF iucalcula-
BILE mischief WIKI have been closed. We do
not undertake to predict upon what issue the
campaign of 1876 will be mainly fought 1t
may or may not be the currency question
which the rag-money Democrats of Ohio have
pushed so conspicnousy to the front. Whether
it be that or the question of Administrative
Reform which Gov Tildens vigorous
administration has made so prominent, or
whatever it be, one thing is certain, to wit !:
that no party can represent the issue of
Reform in any sense without broadly recog
nizing the currency question the basis
and beginning of all reform, the hardpan on
which to bald up public virtue as well as
public faith.