The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-09-05

One OF the arguments advanced hy the Re-
publicars against the election of General
Hancock is that change of administrative
policy would necessarily follow, and that as
a result of that change business calculations
would I've suspended, the rate Of interest
would So up, capital would begin TO scel,
hiding places. and enterprise would lose
heart. One paper said the other day
There is no free country IN. the world
whore the people would even consider
change of government under circumstances
" at all similar to those which characterize
" THE closing year of the purcst best, and
"most successful Administration ever known
"in our annals And then, after claim
ing for the United States now condition of
almost unexampled prosperity, the paper
from which we quote adds "No English
Ministry was ever changed under like
" conditions
We are not now going TO debate the qucs-
tion of the purity or success of the present
Administration. Nor is IL our purpose 10
take issue with the fact that tile country Ia
prosperous. But we do deny that the pros.
perity is the result of Republican methods.
Nut do we admit for moment that the elcc.
tion of General Hancock and change of
administrativepolcy would proecdetrimcntal
to the business interests of the country
On the contrary, we believe that business
interests would be advanced thereby.
Greater confidence would he restored between
the sections, and harmony and goodwill
would prevail toa degree unknown for years
All this would increase prosperity. But we
believe change is needed in order that we
| may know exactly how we do stand. We
want to get at the inwardness of Republican
| methods.
Let us take a notable example from abroad
1t is not many months since the Beaconsfeld
Ministry made an appeal to the British pco-
pie. They claimed, just as the Republicans
claim now. that there was purity aud cfi-
cheney in every department of the govern
ment; that taxes had been reduced: that the
credit of the nation was at n high point, and
that the Ministry had been successful in all
their undertakings. The British people de-
cidcd that change was desirable. Beaccns.
field was hurled from power and new Min.
istery under Gladstone was installed Then
the books were examined, and here is one
famous result and discovery The Indian
Budget was presented to the House of Com
mons few days ago, and it constituted the
formal proof OF the recklessness and the
fraud of Lord Bcaconsiielh's government
Against the false estimates prepared by
Beaconsficld's officers with view of carry
ing the election the British people had pre-
sented to them by the Gladstone govern
inent the true estimates; and instead of a
claimed surplus of G4l7,OoO Cexclusive OF
e5,3 600 to he expended upon productive
| public works) there was found deficiency of
cool severn millions sterling. Here was proof
of outrageous political immortality on the
part of the late Ministery and its Indian de-
| pendents-of deliberate Justification of az
counts in order to tide the party over the
then approaching elections. But for the
change of government the Justification
could have been kept up.
| Now, we donot assert that outrages so glar-
| ing will be discovered by a change of admin
| stration here. We do know that crimes
| against the Treasury and the people were
committed for long series of wears, and
that they remained undiscovered until the
Republicans were hurled from power in the
House of Representatives and the Opposition
had a chance to examine the books. No
party should have too long lease of power.
Corruption is bound to creep in, no matter
how well the avenues of approach may be
guarded The people want an opportunity
to find out exactly what the Republican
party has been doing in twenty years, and it
can only he ascertained by change We
have no fear but that under Hancock there
would be thoroughly honest and efficient
| administration. There would lie a conscen-
| tious overhauling of accounts, and the peo-
pie would then know, as they have right
to know, how the Republican party has full
| filled the high trust reposed in it.