New-York tribune., 1875-11-29
GENUINE REPUBLICAN, REFORM.

GENUINE REPUBLICAN, REFORM.
Democratic journals, with some honorable
exceptions, show quite too much anxiety 10
make party capital out of the exposure OF
whisky frauds. The attempt to fasten some
stain of completely upon the President himself
il wholly unwarranted by facts thus far dis
closed. Nor can it be said that the Republican
party has shown the least sympathy for the
participants in these crimes, or made the
slightest effort to shield them or to embarTass
Secretary Bristow in his work of reform. On
the whole the Republican party will unques-
tionaby gain by this exposure, as any party
ought to gain which untlinchingly hunts down
and Furnishes corruption of any form within Its
ranks. The credit is the greater in this case
because the guilty persons were prominent In
the party, and had been peculiarly influential.
The spirit which refuses to grant them any
shelter OF mercy, and demands full punish
ment according to the letter of the law, Is the
true spirit of reform.
1t is said with truth that, if tho exposure
and punishment Of criminals reflect credit
upon the Administration, the appointment OF
such unworthy officials is discrcditabe. No
man can fail to see that the whisky frauds
operate powerfully to destroy the confidence
of Republicans in the President-nOt indeed
in his integrity, which he vindicates by up
holding a vigorous prosecution OF Offenders,
even though they have been personal friends,
but in his Judgment, his appreciation of the
qualities required in responsible officials. and
in his fitness for executive station. But before
the exposure the case was even worse. 1t was
for years generally believed that somebody
a. ,n,,fn nslV nd
it was boldly asserted, with much appearance
of truth, that the knayes were so protected at
Washington that no law could reach them. The
suspicious thus created were much more injurious
to the President himself and to his party than
the disclosures which prove his personal unfit
ness but vindicate his integrity. Moreover,
the Republican party may justly claim that
President Grant no longer represents it fully,
that it has with general unanimity c0mmitted
itself against his reelection, that It should be
Judged by its general spirit, by the reforms
which it accomplshes and sustains, and 10y
the character of those who are likely to lead
It in the future. There Is u Republicanism
which unhesitatngly crticises the Presidents
errors, but sustans him when he Is In the
right, and aims to be represented hereafter by
au Executive more free from error; and this
Republicanism is greatly strengthened by the
exposure and punishment of knaves who have
used the Republican party as cloak for fraud.
1t viii be said also, with truth, that these
and other frauds have grown out Of-the cor
rupting and demOralizing system which makes
the civil service machine of party rather
than an instrument for the public good I'm
der decent system of civil service, such or
gamized rings, plunderinG the country for years,
would have been impossible. With all the
errors in appointment of officials, this par
ticular ring could not have been created but
for the strength of party spirit and the prev
alent willingness to tolerate prostitution Of
the public service for the sake of party sue
cess. But here, again, the Republican party
gains. Neither party has ever yet been free
from that most dangerous OF all viccs-the dis
position to wink at crimes by which party sue
cess might be promoted. The Democratic party
can claim no superiority on that score. On the
contrary, the Republ cans my justly claim that
they alone have pushed reform of the public
service even to the breaking of some rings by
which their party and theirs only was sup
piled with funds, the dishOnOring of some
leaders and organs of their party, and the
punishment of offenders who were influential
in their own councils. For, though the Tam
many Ring was broken by two Democrats,
Tilden and 0'Conor, the most efficient support
they had came from the other party, and the
Canal Ring, though broken by Democrat,
embraced Republicans as well as Democrats.
The Whisky Ring on the other hand, was a
corrupt combination of officials and politicians
exclusively Republican, and it was broken up
by a Republican Administration, the Rcpub-
lican party throughout the country ap-
plauding.
These things fair-miDded citizens must con-
cede That they entitle the Republican party
to some credit is manifest. There would be
little chance for reform in future if "a party
which actually begins TO break up corrupt
rings, organized by its own members, and
professedly for its own support should re-
ceiye no credit for the work.