The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-25
Plucky Young Repub
Scratchers.
Republican

1t is highly probable, as the regular re-
publican newspapers are alleging, that the
Young Republican or scratching republic
can" vote against Mr.. Cornell will scarcely
be visible on the face Of the principal re-
turns of the State election, because it will
be offset by votes of Tammany democrats
cast directly for him, instead of for Mr..
Kelly. In that case it will take pretty
elaborate mathematical comparison of all
the returns in detail to prove that there was
any republican scratching at all. We al
lude to this to illustrate how hopeless a
fight these Young Republicans are waging
from their headquarters in Union square.
1t deserves recognition of it's gallantry
and persistency under such depressing
himself must concede. He has been a COM
Blatant in too many unequal political bat.
ties not to respect pluck in an adversary
contending against overwhelming odds.
So far as we have examined the publica-
tions of these young leaders of forlorn
hope they seem perfectly logical in their
political philosophy. They impeach Mr..
Cornell for faithlessness to the resolutions
of the Cincinnati republican platform con-
corning civil service reform and to the pas
sages OF MIR. Hayes letter OF acceptance, in
augural address, first message to Congress
and circular to the ofice-holders on the
same subject, and they refuse him their
votes on that ground. This impeachment
is unanswerable. Mr. Cornell himself will
cheeriuly plead guilty. The trouble is
that President Hayes and almost all the
leading republicans in every quarter of
the country are at least equally guilty,
and some of them more so. Civil SER
vice reform, for the present. is not lively
question in popular interest. The man.
ayers of both parties have dropped it by
common consent. If Mr. Cornell's inf
deity were exceptional it might be posi-
BILE to punish him effectively. But when
it is shared by the mass of his party, and
President Hayes and his Secretaries give
open and hearty support to his canvass.
then it becomes just as impracticable to
make punishment effsc:ual within the
republican party as it was to pick out any
particular Southern statesman or soldier to
hang after the rebellion. 1t makes great
deal of difference whether treason is indi-
vidunl or general in respect to the immu-
nifty of the traitors.
Nevertheless, we say again, the pluck Of
these Young Republicans is admirable.
They are LETT in the lurch by the very poll
tcians whose doctrines they are specially
maintaining. Nobody of conspicuous fame
in the community, save DR.. Bellows and
his associates in an obscure civil service re-
form association, has openly affiliated with
them. They are buffeted by the regular
republican press and ridiculed from the
regular republican platform. Secretary
Evarts, who used to claim to be the Simon
Purest kind OF civil service reformer,
cracks his keenest jokes upon them. They
comprise few men of wealth. Nevertheless,
they persevere, like Mordecai at the kings
gate. Refusing with acerbity offers of aid
from quarters outside the republican party,
they put their hands into their own pockets
and defray the expenses of conducting a
vigorous, moral. philosophical, hopeless
and admirable canvass through the Post
Office and the press.