New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-11
S1ANGmHANGLNG REEORM

Bad language seldom promotes poou cliuS'
Calling men cOrruptiOnists and thieves because
they vote for extravaganza and what we may
consider wasteful appropriations is one way,
though not by any means the best OF lndi-
eating our disapprObatiOn of loose legislation
and excessive expenditure. We hardly think
that it will be considered, upon reflection, a
good way to effect change III the habits OF
our legislators or bring about an economical
reform. The attitude of The TRIBUNE toward
the appropriations that have been the sub
ject of criticism, particularly the River and
Harbor bill, is well known. Its columns
boa witness that it did not wait till the bill
was passed before condemning it, but kept its
readers constantly informed as to Its growth
and progress in committee and IN the House,
and long before the details of it were completed
gave the country warning that it would contain
an unusual number of unjustifably extrava-
CANT and wasteful provisions involving in the
gross an enormous expenditure We have
said repeatedly, and say now, that we have
very little patience with, or liberation for,
those members of Congress, Republicans
or Democrats, who joined in the scramble for
appropriations under this bill, and. having
secured something in it for their own locali-
whole upon the ground that its merits more
than outweghed its questionable features, and
its defeat would work serious injury to great
public interests. But while disappearing many
Of the details of the bill, and condemning
most positively the methods OF its compost
ton. we have not felt called upon to dcnounce
its authors in a wholesale sweeping way as
corIuptionists " and " thieves"
The condemnation of this bill by the press
of the country, irrespective of party, is almost
universal. In this it not only to a large ex-
tent represents public sentiment, but it con-
tributes largely toward forming and sustaining
il. 1t cannot be doubted that aside from con-
sderations of a partisan nature the feeling OF
the country is hostile to the passage OF such
bills as this and by such methods The press
unauestionably reflects public opinion truly in
this regard. But We submit that there is great
danger that the newspapers, in their hasty
judgments of mems motives, their swift and
Wholesale denuncations, their free flinging Of
offensive epithets, and their wholesale slang
whanging at Senators and Representatives
who have hitherto maintained good characters
as upright, honorable men. may provoke
presently popular reaction. We may
honor as highly as we please such men as
Senators Hawley and Platt, of Connecticut,
who consistently opposed the bill in all its
stages notwithstanding their constituents were
among its direct benefciaries; but when go
further and class Senators Hoar and Dawes
of Massachusetts, and Senator Miller, of our
own State, among " log rollers and "corrup-
tionistsr for taking an opposite course, we
transgress the limits of reasonable criti-
cism and offend the popular sense of
decency. We have said that public senti-
ment is clearly opposed to these log
rolling appropriations. But it must be
added that the sentiment after all is rather
vague and abstract than positive, muscular
and aggressive. Most people will assent in
general way to the proposition that the appro-
priations are excessive the methods mis-
chicvous, and the whole business disgraceful
But ii is little more than a sentiment at pres
ent 1t has no organization or form, and but
very little fibre. We state discouragng fact,
but fact all the same, when we say that
all the popular disapproval of this measure
will not take practical form in the defeat for
that cause of the denomination of single
Representative who voted for it.
The delusion that his constituents look to
him to "get something for the deestrict," and
that that is his principal mission, Is very
strong in the mind of the average Congress
man. The people have done little or nothing
to undeceive him and it is rather hard on him
to be denounced as corrupt and dishonest and
participation in great steal SIMPLY Tor
doing what be truly believes his constituents