Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-05
Tha star Rnnte smtndIss.

President Arthur is offered msgni6-
cent opportunity to make an enviabls
reputation for his administration By q
vigorous prosecution of the star route
mail service swindlers who fOurished so
luxuriantly under Hayes, but whose
rascslity was unearthed and ex-
posed during the brief term Of
service of the late lsmented President
Garfield. The President seems. how
ever. to be either ignorant Of his chances,
or Indifferent TO their improvement.
True, after much hardness, the
telegraph informed US yesterday that
Judge Jeremish Wilson, Of counsel for
the defense, began. en- Thursday last, an
argument in favor of the motion to
auash the information recently filed in
the case by the prosecution, but there Is
a general feeling that the present admin
istration shows itself remarkably apa.
thetic in the whole matter, and, conse-
ouently, the impression has gained
ground that the faction of the Repubh-
can party at present running "the Ma
ton" would not seriously regret if the
prosecution should fall through alto
gether.
This tardiness and this apathy are so
marked that even the Republican press
Of the country feels called upon to com
ment seriously thereupon. So promiSent
and pronounced a sheet as the New York
Times even finds fault, and complains
that there is altogether too much david
ling over the prosecution of the star route
cases. II calls upon the President to
end the farce at once, and warns him
that he can and he ought TO see to it that
there is no more trifing with a matter
Of much moment TO his administration
as well as 10 the interest of the public
service. It says: ''He will be held to
personal account for the success or
failure of these prosecutions, at least so
far as either depends upon the energy
and earnestness of the agents employed
to press the case of the people. A very
emphatic hint that he will tolerate no
playing fast and loose With the pursuit
Of public plunderers would have an ex-
eellent effect at the present stage of the
star route prosecutions"
1t is not at all singular that Mr..
Arthur should personally be unwilling
to push these star route Investigations to
extremity. He has always, heretofore,
been q bitter partisan, and he has not
vet had sufficient experience in the
Presidential chair 10 realize that for the
next three years and a half, at least, his
duty vii be to discard partisanship from
his mind, and devote himself TO rationale
iug the government Hence it is that
he naturally desires. if possible, to shield
from public odium the prominent lights
Of his party whose crookedness Dir.
Garfield, although a Republican, ex-
posed, and whom, on account Of their
swindles, he made conspicuous candi-
dates for the State prison.
But Arthur cannot permit either per
sonal feeling or partisan prejudice to in
terfere with the course of justice in these
cases. To say nothing of the great
stake which he has in the vigorous prose
cution Of the alleged thieves. the public
Welfare and the public credit alike de
m4nd that the parties accused be brought
to speedy trial, and, if found guilty, SUI
fer prompt punishment He may not be
responsible for the delay so far expert
enced, but he can show personal inter
est in the matter, and let the public see
thar, at the outset of his administration,
he is determined to let no guilty man
escape. be be friend or foe. if he can pre-
vent il. Let him beware, however, of
expressing such a determination, and
afterwards, as did Grant, do all he can to
shield from justice every man who, like
Belknap, should, in the penitentiary, be
doing the STATE much service.