Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-06-15
"LET NO GUILTY MAN
RSCAPE.n

ESCAPE"
Such was tho telegram President
Grant sent to the United States Dis.
trict Attorneys tt Cincinnati, Chicago
and st. Louis seven years ago, when
the notorious Whisky Ring frauds
were uncovered That gang robbed
the Treasury Of millions Of dollars, and
Gen. Grants sentiment was good but
it was not carried out, Instead OF
hundreds being sent to the peniton.
tiary for committing these frauds only
few reached thoso quarters and they
were soon pardoned, and the officers
who convicted them were removed and
none Of tho stolen money was covered
back into the Treasury.
Recently, a now field of fraud has
been developed-what they call tho
"Star route" mail contracts-through
which the heads Of the Postoflice De.
partment and gang OF outsiders have
plundorcd the Treasury of millions of
dollars Tyner, Brady, and few
others have resigned because of their
notorious guilt, President Garfield
had not backbone enough to remove
those scoundrols, and the Postmaster
General and tho Attorney General are
receiving the credit for forcing res
ignation. Since then the Radical press
has raised the howl: "Let no guilty
man escape" Here is a sample In
substance this article appeared in the
same Journal seven years ago, during
tho Whisky Ring crimes. Now, when
the "Star route" exposures startlc tho
country, the Philadelphia Press sets
up the yell us follows;
Much nervous anxiety was displayed to know
what the administration was going to do about
IL. There were those who profeSsed to believe
that, because some we'll known and active Repab-
licans were under strong suspicion Of guilt, there
woHld be no honest and business. like ofloft to
follow tho criminals to justice. There was lcss
doubt when Mr.. Brady was urgently invited to
resign Mr. MoGrew has been asked to 20 the
same way, and this still further rsassuros unbe-
liovers.
1t is established now beyond tho shadow of
doubt that the war is to be carried into the heart
Of the enemy's camp Nothing that the Govern
ment can do will bo left undone to bring down
the oonspirators. Tho fighting will be forced all
along the line guilty man may have held
high place in the Republican party-that will
avail him nothing. lie may have been on terms
Of personal intimacy with the President, the At
torney General, the Postmaster General-that
will not save him. That shield did not pro-
teet Brady. 1t will protect no one else. The Re
publican party and the men who under its ban
ner have been called to administrative places may
have been deceived in their trusts and their
friendships their confidence may have been be-
trayed that was their misfortune. They will
not add tho grieyous fault Of obstrueting the
course of Justice.
Quietly but steadily the administration has
been at works at work now. A searching In
vestigation Is going on, that nothing may be
lacking to the completeness Of the case when it
shall be laid before the Grand Jury which is to
be drawn on tho 10th instant. II is believed by
the Postmaster G enoral and the Attorney GEN
eral that indictments will surely follow upon the
convincing evidence which has been gathered.
Meanwhile the Posmhstsr General is pursuing
a policy Of retrenohment aud reform which in
three months has yielded fruit to the value Of
three-quar,ers Of a million Of dollars on the an.
nual expenditures. He has Inquired into the
swiniling contracts and put his oiiclal foot upon
the worst Of them, so that they will never more
plague the Treasury. lie has not finished the
work Of retrenchmout, but he has accomplished
wonders since be began. An this has been done
without in any way impairing the general efi-
cheney Of tho service. There are fewer empty
mail-bags passing to and fro between r.distant
places, but no public interest whatever has suf-
fered.
The Postmaster Generals intelligent and en-
thusiastic efforts have not only saved money to
the government they have shown that it was
necessary for a strong man to step in and end the
roguery they have shown that there are rogues
to be punished and they will contribute largely
to the detection aRd conviction Of the criminals
This Star-mail iniquiiy will be avenged, and the
swift judgment will stand as warning for all
time.
We predict if Postmaster General
James and Attorney General Mac.
Veagh prosecutes those public rob-
bers, that they will both be turned out
Of the Cabinet and men put in their
places who will take a part of the
plundcr and drop the prosecutions,
What happened during Grants and
Hayes time will be carried on under
Garfield. Rogues rule the Radical
party. The men who take Tyner and
Brady's place will be compelled to
adopt their tactics or leave.