, 1879-02-01
NEITHER PARTY CAN AFFORD IT

lefG tnat they Aro contf1uutlnG III tue
strength md power Of tho Republican party
by opposing tho confirmation Of Gen. MEn-
R1rT and Mini. Dunr, they err, in o,'r opi't-
ion, grteyousiy. II is true that Afr. ARTHUR
is Republican, and "hatcver frauds havo
occurred In the New York Cuztons-Honse
have occurred unt1tr Republican Admins
tratiou. But It will hardly DO pretended
that tho exposures Of tho frauds mud tho
punishment of tho guilty perpetrators Of
them by Republican Administration Gnu
work 50 much Injury to tho party ns would
accrue to It by efforts, even II successful, as
concea!tncnt. It may be that Repub-
lican Senators generally hnve, by ig-
nor;ng the subject, or leaving 1t Gu
tire1y to tho judgment and discretion
Of tho sonntors from Now York,
remained in ignorance down to the present
time Of the fact that great frauts have long
existed in tl.o New York Custom.1Iouso.
But If they haze, they stand nlone. To every
other clasa of citizens tho fact Is notorious.
It has beon published far and wide. md
neither tho oif1cialH Of tho Custona-Housc,
| nor tho press Of New York City, nor the
under.of1lcers Of tho. Treasury Department,
havo had tho courage to deny 1t. II }ns even
boon admitted tn defense that "irrcgulari-
| lics existed, and that the magnitude Of tho
business transacted by the otlco rendered
their suppression practically impossible.
Senators, whether Republican or Democratic.
should reflect seriously upon tho hqshameful char
| acter Of this admission. It covers the country
nnd the Government with lisgrace, aud nc
Administration would bo justified in main-
tanning passive attitude in the presence OF
situation 40 huniliating. Take thin afngle
fact as an illustration 1t Is notorious TINT In
several lines Of goods the frauds In tho New
York Custom House by undcryaluatlon hnvo
long been 80 gront that they haye grown Into
system which operates as an absolute pro.
hibition against importation by any merchant
outside Of the ring Of corrupt agents ol
foreign manufacturers. The merchants of {
tlozon cities In the interior ARC thus driver
from the foreign market, and, in addition
tho Government Is robbed Of share Of II.
Just revenuo. For five yonrs this syndicntt
Of royonue thieves hayo stood ut th,
Custom. House doors Of tho port o
Now York and harrod tho way t.
tho foreign markets against thousand
OF honest merchants who stand road.
to import lnrgsly Of foreign merchandise
md pay to tho Government thereon ever,
dollar of It's just and legal rcvonus. Thes
arc focts, and 1t is also fact that tl,ia dis
graceful state Of things came iu.o cxistonc
ind 1ours!,ed uuter tho administration Q
Mr.. Arthur. The country cannot atford t
have 1t continued, and neither lsepublicn'
nor Democratic Senators can afford to vot
for It's continuance. Certain 1forublica
Senators may dssiro to o,nbarrass the A.
tninistration, but thoy cannot Afford 10 ste
In between 1t mud n reform deman<
cd by tho whole country. Domoorat
senators may 10 willing to wIde
the breacl, between tho Administration al
: anti.Adnlin'stration factions Of tho Nepnb!i
On party, but they osunot afford to do til
. at the expense Of tho revenue and again
:, tho demand IT their mercantile constituent
who insist that thu embargo laid upon tEae
: by q syndicate OF Foreigners shall be remoy'
for tie benefit Of honest merchants, Eau
West, North, mud South, standing ready
import and pay full revenue whcro now
J part il alchcd from tho Government.
Wo venture the Insertion that every me,
II bes Of tho ring Of "crooked Importers
70 New York City desires, and Is laboriug #
;. the return OF Mr. ARTHUR TO tho Collectt
II ship. This Of itself ought to 10 sufficient
10 induce every Senator to vote against t
- prop osition.