The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1879-01-02
From the n. Y. Tribune.I
A Rather Suggestive Contrast.

Whoever considers carefully the record
of the two great parties with reference to
investigations begun and carried on dur
ing the past six years-the objects of
inquiry, the methods pursued and the
results obtained-will be struck with the
remarkable contrast presented 1t is a
contrast, too that goes not merely to the
things named. the objects, methods and
results, but is thorough and radical
reaching down to the character and pur-
poses of the parties. 1t may be broadly
and truly stated in these terms: that
whereas the Republican party is, as a
rule, honest and patriotic, there are ex-
ceptional cases in it of dishonesty and
reckless selfseeking, which Republicans
themselves have investigated fearIessly
and relentlessly punished; while the re-
verse is true Of the Democracy, towit
that honest men and patriots are the ex-
ception, and these SO few that they count
for nothing in the party, for the party,
leaders, followers and all, rise up when
offences or civil crimes, and instead of
pursuing, unite in screening him from
justice. There has been but one excep-
tion to this rule that we now recall That
was the prosecution of the Tweed Ring
by Mr.. Tilden; but he took it up late,
and the purpose of that period of virtue
has been very fully translated since
They have had troubles with Doorkeep-
eas in Congress, to be sure, and been
obliged to turn out two; but they STUN
bled into knowledge of transactions
which they could not well ignore, and in
the end it appeared that the investiga
tions grew out of personal quarrels over
the division of spoils, and were not by
any means due to regard for the interests
of the public service
Here was this famous investigator,
Glover, pegging away at all sorts Of in
quiries, all through last session, with the
sole purpose of discovering something
damaging to Republicans and avoiding 2
the discovery of anything hurtful to his
own party. There was hardly any at
tempt at concealment of this on the part
of his committee or himself; and none
whatever on the part of leading Demo
cratic statesmen and Democratic newspa.
pers. They made no secret of their dis
satisfaction and disgust when he brought
to light, as he did at frequent intervals,
the evidence of Democratic deyiltry.-
They all said This is blunderl" and
compelled him to drop his clue and start
in some other direction in the vain hunt
of Republican fraud and dishonesty.
They were investigating to find out" to
use Gen. Buffers phrase, but-to find out
only the enemy's offences, and not their
own. And they, and all the other inves-
tigating committees started out by a
Democratic Congress- have received every
possible aid from Republicans, and in no
instance been obstructed or hindered.
The Republican reasoning is that they
cannot afford to seem to be anxious to
conceal anything; that the great mass of
their organization are Republican parti-
sans only because they believe the party
and its leaders to be honest and patriot
ic. The conscience of the party behind
them holds them up to manly and
courageous attitude, even if their indi-
vidual consciences do not. The instinct
of preservation compels them to well
come investigation and invite scrutiny of
all their acts. On the contrary, the Dem
ocratic leaders have an instructive dread
of uncovering any thing in politics lest
they or their friends get found out The
feeling permeates the organization. The
party proper loses no great number OF
voters for shrinking from investigations.
| It's loss in the late election was princi
| pally the floating vote, which is naturally
| Republican. The Democratic instinct is
to get out damaging facts about the op
position, but conceal whatever is of dis
advantage to its own friends. The Re
publican instinct is rather to have every
thing open and above board, but espe
cially the acts of its own officials, O.
whose honor i! is Tery jealous.
! Contrast the manner in which the
ALIId and ALllId Congresses, largely
Republican in both branches, took W
and pursued Investigations of all sorts