Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-09-08
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.
A Fine Specimen of Republican
bubble nd SOphistry.
.You're Another" is the Whole
Excuse.
New York Tribune, I'd.

New York Tribune, "a.
More amusing if possible than the
attempt by Democrats to make party
capital out of the passage of the river
and harbor bill, for which a larger
~nroportion OF Democrats than Of
Republicans voted in both House and
Senate, is the cutlery the party leaders,
orators and newspapers are making
over the assessment" Of Republican
oficeholders for political purposes.
From Maine California the party
stands aghast vi rolling eyes and
palms turned outward. They have
Just heard that Federal oiiceholders
are assessed for political purposes"
Look at jay Hubbelll" they cry,
"leyying assessments on the poor
oficeholdersi What are we coming
to if this sort Of thing is permitted
The foundations of free institutions
are in dangerl" And they call upon
the people to rise up in their might
and "rebuke the abuse Of power.
Rebuke it howl Why, hat goes with
out saying. By turning Republicans
out Of Office everywhere and putting
Democrats in. To this end and no
other are all the protests and remon-
strances against the assessment OF
oficeholders directed. 1t is a gigantic
wrong which can only be corrected by
Democrats; an evil which nothing but
Democratic ascendancy can cure.
Now it is hardly necessary to say
that The Tribune is as heartily op-
posed to the whole system Of assess
ments for political purposes as any Of
these vigorous Democratic howlers.
More heartily, indeed, and with more
sincerity, for we have not hesitated to
condemn it under Republican Admin
istrations, while Democratic condem-
nation of it never reaches the abuse Of
power By their own party. But The
Tribune knows too much Of the
Democratic party and its history to
look in that direction for reform in
this or any other particular. 1t has
seen many abuses corrected by
Republican Administrations, never
one BIZ Democratic, and it expects to
see a Republican Administration make
a final end Of this. But what an
empty humbug and cheat the Demo-
cratic professions on this subject arel
If the Roman augurs could not meet
without tongues in their
cheeks, what must the Democratic
leaders and orators do who are making
all this ado about political assess
ments? How can Mr.. Hewitt meet
Mr.. Cox or Mr.. Perry Belmont meet
Mr.. Roswell Flower after raising an
indignant cutlery over political assess
ments, when each one Of them knows
that the other has been assessed by his
party committee, and that there is not
an Office held by a Democrat in the
country from fence viewer to Supreme
Judge that is not assessed and assessed
roundly.
Could anything be more palpably
absurd than the pretence of virtue
these men are makingY Nay, more
could anything be more dishonest
"What," inquiries Mr.. Hewitt or Mr.
Cox or any Of these Democratic can,
didates, when waited upon by the
COMMITTEES and asked for the politica.
contributions which they have beer
assessed-"what is the issue upoE
which the committee think we should
lay most stress in the present cam
paign?' Imagine the committeemaI
answering with his tongue in his cheek
as he pockets the assessment: "Th,
committee believe that the RepublicaI
, practice Of levying assessments upoI
oficeholders is wrong and dangerous
and that if public sentiment is thor
! oughly awakened on the subject,
reform will be effected by Democrati
I success" Out 20 Mr.. Hewitt ant
i, Mr.. Cox and the rest, and begin de
claiming against the iniquitous prac
tice Of assessing ofieeholders which
can only be done away by e%leetiBj
Democrats TO Office. And they ar,
fresh from the payment Of assessment
themselves. Is this honest? VIII
not undertake to cheat that is not s.
utterly transparent
The Democratic party opposing 20
%lictical assessments? Why, there ha
not been a Democrat IN office. or
candidate for Office for the past thirt,
years who has not been assessed by BIZ
party committee. And, if he didn'
pay his assessment-Well, that, the,
say, is what makes Mr.. William II
English, lstecandidate for Vice Pres
ident, 50 unpopular.