New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-26


pessee held off while Polk plunged in, and
they said as they saw him charge down on
Washington "There goes q man now VINO
"can lust. more than keep door. If you want
"to see BOOKKEEPING of q high order, SUCH
bookkeeping as appeals to mans better
| mature, and arouses whatever is IN him OF
"the sentiment of honor and the inspirations
"of patriotism, wait till Colonel Polk gets
zone good square whack at anything IN
Washington that swings on hinges, from
"tolI gate to a pew-doOr. Just give him
"chance and he'll keep that door 1t it takes
call Summer"
OF Colonel Folks success we do not need to
tell. Nor of the pride taken in him by his
native State nor how the able-bOdied citizens
of Tennessee, who had stopped everything in
order to properly contemplate his career, took
the first conveyance to Washington to con-
cratulate him upon it, and to offer him incl
dentaly their services in keeping any or
the subsidiary back or subordinate side DOORS
or sitting on tho steps, or supporting the
Constitution in any of the weak places In
the cellar, or answering such hard questions
as "What'n yer have to take 2" or doing any
of the other heavy and responsible duties
upon the Doorkeeper of the House. No need
to speak Of the hegira from Tennessee. Inc
country saw it. Saw it, and said reficctlveiy:
"Doorkeepers by the Hundred Thousand
DWELL, this is circusw Washington felt it. fhe
average drink went up at least three
fingers in all public places, and Thought
full men standing behind bars and listen
ing to Tennessee finance. said, as they
rinsed their tumblers, "There isn't enough
"whiskey to meet the popular de-
"mand. We must increase the volume OF the
circulating medium" Which they did-with
a bucket-from the pump. No, it is not nee
essary to dwell on these familiar facts. NOR
vet upon the fact that every Democratic
member of Congress poured in upon the new
Doorkeeper his sympathy and cooperation at
the rate of from twenty-five to fifty candidates
apiece for every place on his payroll. That
was more or less commented on last Fall, when
it WAS remarked that each Democratic member
led procession as he moved on Washington.
We knew then the mission on which they
went, and it was with emotions OF patriotic
pride that we all said, as we saw the whole
party headed for the Door of the House,
"n Bookkeeping will save this country,
It's CrlslS IL IdStJ uIiu ITO p"A
"yation secure" And yet it seems that,
Notwithstanding the readiness OF Colo
mel Polk to respond to his country's
call, and notwithstanding lie was the pride OF
Tennessee, and notwithstanding majority OF
her able bodied citizens volunteered to aid him
in keeping door, and each Democratic member
of Congress brought twenty or thirty voltin-
teers to assist in the same arduous enterprise,
he did not keep door to the satisfaction of the
House.
That is to say, he kept it too much. He
had too many men on his payroll, and when
they came to investigate him, as they have to
every Democratic DOorkeeper, they found that
he was a good man, and hadn't intended to
do anything wrong, but had been tempted by
members of Congress, and had erred, if at all,
only through excess of good nature. He was
urged by Congressman to give them patron
age, and he complied. The report says chat
was ALL that he is q well-meaning man, and
SO far as he personally kept the door, kept
il honestly. And SO Congress takes the
blame upon itself collectively. Which
is very handsome of Congress. And harmless,
unless their constituents get to sitting the
testimony and diyiding.up the responsibility.
They have begun this reprchensible business
in Connecticut. SIR. Landcrs, of that State,
testified that there was an arrangement in the
New England delegation to divide up the APP
pontments, and that under that arrange
ment he got a place for constituent of
his named Mcdonnell, who, it is said,
il Police Commissioner OF the City of
Hartford; and that in order to even up
the salaries of the three New-England men
in the department, the only soldier on the
roll was Obliged to give Mcdonnell %1S 81 n
month out of his own pay. This was the
condition of the soldiers retention. And the
people of the First Connecticut District are
crticising the transaction, because they say
Mr.. Landers does not manage his large man.
ufac,uring business in that way, and
they don't think it nccords with his
| devotion to reform. They are willing
to excuse Doorkeeper Polk on the ground that
he was tempted to overload his payroll and
beiuggle his accounts by Congressman. But
they begin to think that Mr. Landers and Mr.
Phelps, who was associated with him i'll the
business, were among the tempters. And it is
not unlikely that when these two gentlemen
come I'D for reelection they will be asked
some hard questions about what they actually
mean by "reform."
And it wouldn't bo strange if other constit-
uencies should overhaul the testimony in this
case, and see what their representatives had
to do with tempting this hgh-toned Door
keeper. He has been or is to be, absolved.
He was tempted. Now then the question is.
howl and who did it7
| TIE STEU1RT HOTEL FOR W0MEN.
The curious public has now official information
concerning tho costly edce erected by the late Mr..