Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-02
Star Routes and Politics.
Prom the Boston Herald.

1fuih tic bjrt'n herald
The response of the country to President
Arthur's action. in ordering the removal of the
Washington officials. shows that it is popularity
regarded "a something more than mere Incl
dent OF a criminal trial. in which the govern
Eent happens to be the prosecutor. Technically
1t NAV be only this. but in its broader bearings
the President has not performed more dis
tinctly political act since his accession To the
office. 1t is parting of the WAYS for his ad-
mnistration. and. II the new path be resOlutely
adhered To. the effect upon its future and that
OF the party. may he considerable
Those who underestimate the political bear
inSs OF the star route frauds and the effect upon
the republican party of the failure thus far to
punish them. have not rightly read the full les
son OF the late elections The republican
party. says Senator Platt. Twill not tolerate
corruption. and will demand the exposure and
punishment OF all who are guilty. and of all
who seek TO screen or protect the guilty. There
can be no difference of opinion among republi-
cans on this gue>tioa." There ought to be no
such difference, but there most decidedly is
Are not Dorsey aud Brady republicans and
GOrham. whom even the Connecticut Sena-
tors-both rerpendicularly upright men-vOted
10 make clerk of the Senate. i'm the face
Of his persistent abuse of James and MacVeagh
for instltuting the star route proceedings? Are
not the lately removed officials all republicans i:
And Is not the public sentiment in Washington.
which rejoiced a. the escape of HOwgate. and
has hindered the star route prosecutions due to
the prevalent feeling among the ofiice-hOlGing
class that it is venial Offense to get "a good
thing out OF the government? Senator Platt
speaks of what ought to be- not OF what is The
feeling throughout the country that somehow.
and in some way, the star route thieves were
being screened and protected had more to do
than appeared on the surface with creating that
popular dissatisfaction and disgust with the
republican party which resulted in \ democratic
restoration.
The frauds were uncovered year and a hal:
ago. The disclosures revealed loss to the gov
eminent Of over 81 500, 600 through the onera-
tions Of what Attorney General Brewster de-
fcribes as 1.-THE worst band OF organized scOun-
drels that ever existed snce the commence
rlent Of the government" great and pro-
loneed blast Of buglc blowing resounded
through the country, as TO the swift and condign
punishment that was TO DC meted out to the con-
spirators and the effort that would be made to
Yccove: a portion. al least Of the plumber. A
dreary series of delays outwittngs and
failures ended with the wretched fasco
Of verdict. which Judge Wylie Sc:
aside as to the OILY persons convicted.
The people who do not stop 10 discriminate very
closely iE such matters, only saw that nobody
had been pInished. and not dollar recovered
They saw, too. that the subordinate official class
Ut Washington contained many well-knOwn men
who Extensively abused. without rebuke, the
prosecuting officers OF the government, pre-
dicted the failure of its cases and did what they
could TO secure the fulfllment of their prophe-
cies In such a state of affairs is it strange
that the honest voters Of the republican party,
on whom the old ties rest lightly, decided to
stop "rebuking corruption in platform gen.
eraIties, anil pointed their protest directly at
the thing itself?
This is the relation Of the star route frauds to
politics. And it is President Arthurs decided
action in rebuke OF those who have sought. OF
would seek, to '.screen and protect the guilty.
that gives political significance to the removals
Next to his veto Of the river and harbor bill this
p the most important right act Of his admins
t1ation.