New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-04
WORTH REMEMBERING.

TIE TRIBUNE has heretofore called atten-
| ton to the unusual conduct of Senator DAVIS,
of West Virginia, in throwing out institutions
in open Senate against the integrity OF the
Treasury Department, and claiming to have
foundation for them in the testimony before
committee of which he is chairman, but refusing
to make specific allegations or to permit the
publication of the testimony. Mr.. Davis had
been credited with having an honest purpose
in the Treasury Investigation, but in his con-
duet in this matter he showed very clearly
his intention to exaggerate testimony and
distort facts TO make capital for his
party. He Is the head of special
committee appointed at his own instance to
overhaul the Treasury accounts, and verify,
if possible, an endless series of suspicious
which he has been a long time cultivating.
From certain mysterious hints and filings
thrown out by him in debate the other
day, 1t appeared to be his purpose to
use the half truths and whole talsehoods
collected by his Committee for campaign
purposes, without giving the public an oppor-
tunity to reach just and impartial judgment
by the publication of all the testimony which
has been thus far received. The plan seemed
to be to sift the evidence and use whatever
it contains that can be construed to the
damage of Republicans, while keeping back
whatever cOntradicts or explains it, or Is
favorable to them.
Senator Window met it promptly with call
for the unanimous consent of the Senate to
the publication of all the testimony in the
Committees possession to whlch no one
raised an objection excepting Mr.. Davis him
IL 10, Mi 1 in,
doses to suit himself and the exigencics of his
party. Then Mr.. Allison, to bring the queS
ton before the Senate and test the sense OF
that body upon this unusual and unwarranted
use OF official privilege, offered Il formal resO-
luton ordering that all the testimony taken
by the Select Committee investigating Treas
ury accounts be reported and printed for the
use of the Senate. Mr.. Davis being cOnvcn-
iently absent, tins resolution was not called
I'D till Just before the adjournment on
Tuesday, when Mr. Allison again asked
for its passage. In Senator DaVis's alb
sence Senator Whyte, of Maryland, another
Democratic member of the Committee, OPP
posed the publication for the reason that cit
" it would be highly injurious to the cOndi-
I" ton of the Treasury books to publish that
Testimony so far as 1t has gone without the
tables and without the explanations that are
to follow hereafter " 1t would do manifest
"injustce TO the Treasury Department." he
said, if that testimony was published unex-
planned by u report of the committee"
And yet this is the testimony upon which the
West Virginia Senator gets up in his place
and makes a coarse and sweeping attack upon
the reputation of officers of the Government
and the administration OF its most important
department.
1t is only another illustration of the fayOrite
Democratic method Of attacking by insinua-
ton and indirection, and offering assertion for
proof. We again direct special attention to
this matter because, from long acquaintance
with Democratic campaign methods, we feel
safe in predicting that before the No
vember elections Democratic organs will
be following the bad example of Scna-
tor Davis in the use Of vague suspicious
and unsupported charges based upon pre-
tended results of official investigation. 1t is
well enough to keep in mind, against such an
emergency, the fact that Republicans in the
Senate demanded the publication of all the
testimony received by that committee, and
that the Democrats absolutely refused it.