The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-02
Mr.. Wilson of Iowa ON the Exposure of
Corruption.

Politicians who are IN any way tainted
with the corruption which has decimateh
the active ranks VI the Republican party in
the last few years seek every occasion t.
denounce the exposures by which their
venality has been made known. in u sweep
ing charge that no man IN public life Is sale
from accusation. II that charge could bc
made good, or get fixed in the public mind,
the Ring chiefs in and out Of Congress, the
iobbers In legislation, and the professional
politicians, who live 10y Office and patronage,
would escape punishment. or at least find
place Of refuge until their guilt could be in
dividualized.
Mr.. JAMES +. WILSON Of Iowa. who as II
member Of Congress ana in other capacities
has been conspicuous In the councils Of his
party, few days ago opened the campaign
In that State. He took occasion To- say that
lone OF the worst features OF American
politics Is the audacious and indscriminate
attacks on public officials" And yet" lie
added, notwithstanding this. the auda-
eious cry has been kept up lor years that
dishonesty, peculat!On. and corruption are
the universal rule in Republican admins
tration OF public AFFAIRS. So constant. per-
sistent, and mendacUusly unblushing has
the charge been that many thousands of
well meaning people have come To look upon
every man in public Office a. wholly cor
rupt, and upon every man placed IN nominal
ton as Il candidate for official station as
kind Of undeveloped thief who needs but
the opportunity 10 become as bad as the
rest"
Mr.. WILSON practses the very system
xxyht tab h..
general false accusation. There are many
leaders in the Republican party, a. there
are millions Of men in the ranks, who cling
10 its old ideas and traditions In spite Of
their betrayal. and against whose fair fame
NO iilputation has ever been made And IL
Is gross wrong to associate them In any
way with the corrupt crew who have
brought the country to its present sud con-
dition, and have piled disgrace upon the
name OF free government.
The two terms Of Grantisln were one long
carnival OF license, fraud, shoddy thevery,
and successful rascallty, In which members
Of the Cabinet were as prominent actors as
the notorious Ring chiefs who from the out
side dictated the policy and divided the
plumber OF the Administration, Yet there
were men connected with II. and men who
supported IL in the Senate and the House
OF Representatives from party necessities,
whose integrity was never questioned, and
against whose personal honor no suspicion
was ever uttered, The thieves and traf-
fickers and their hackers were Just as well
known to the country as the personal COM
position Of the TWEED Ring was in its day
Of power
1t Ill becomes Mr.. WILSON To thrust him
self forward as the champion Of an alleged
grievance, aud the gratuilOus defender Of
men who have not been assailed. He knows
the guilty perfectly well by name and by
character. and they are not to be con
founded with the innocent. who are above
reproach Mr.. WILSON was one OF the loyal
statesmen who figured In CAKES AMEs's
diary as a favored shareholder Of the Credit
Mobllier, side by side with SCHUYLER COL
FAX, JAMES A. GARFIELD, II. l.. DAWES, W.
Il. ALLISON, GLENN W. SCoFIELD, j. W.
PATTERSON, JoHN A. LOGAN, WA. ID. KELLEY,
JOHN A. BINGHAM, and other nutablcs OF
course he explained his connection with
that huge corruption, as the rest Of them
did, but the explanation was bad.
Mr.. WILSON until recently held the adj
vantageous position of Government director
" the Pacific railroads, which others at
least, who knew how to utilize their oppor-
tunities. turned to profitable account.
While in possession OF that trust, which
may be said to have retained him adversely
TO the special interests OF the roads, he re-
ceived large fees for acting as counsel to
these same corporations. His conscience
did not revolt In the least at the two con-