Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-08-30
Aamraster fntelllQenrei
EVENING, AUG. 40. 1889.


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EVENING. AUG. 30. 1889.
Ipjudiclous Criticism.
That was refreshing talk from Sena-
tor Bayard on the River and Harbor bill,
made as the revenue cutter Hamilton
steamed down the Delaware on tour of
inspection of the improvements OF that
river. 1t is delightful to the worn and
weary reader of the indIscriminate de
nnnciations of the big city newspapers
of everything that they think it is popu-
lar to denounce, to see them sharply
rapped over the knuckles for their stu.
pility and hypocrisy and to have bright
calcium light thrown upon their utter un-
fitness to be the leaders of the public
opinion, which they are seldom wise and
bold enough to lead, but habitually
craven enough to follow when they know
it is wrong, and not seldom despicable
enough to believe that it will he wrong
before it is demonstrated to he. Their
action on this River and Harbor bill is
strikirgly in point. Because the bill ap.
propriated = much larger sum than
usual, it has been pounced upon and de-
nounced as y great big steal, and the
congressman who voted to pass it over
the presidents veto have been mildly
called band of thieves.
These congressman have been kicking
back. Senator Dawes the other day said
that the Massachusetts, people who con,
demned the River and Harbor bill
did not know what they were talking
about. The big city journals have been
using their cheap and dull talk upon
Senator Dawes for this remark, suggest
ing that il he would resign his seat and
let the Massachusetts, people deliver
themselves as to their desires to continue
him in his representative place he might
rave other reason to consider that they
did not know what they were about. Sen
at0r Dawes does not command univer-
sal public confidence in his integrity, and
he was a good subject for this newspaper
style of suppression. But it is quite diff
ferent with Senator Bayard, who did not
vote for the bill and who is known to
everyone to he entirely above suspicion
rs to his integrity in every way, shape
and form. When Senator Bayard tells
those people who have been calling the
River and Harbor bill big steal that
they are fools, the general impression
will b, that he is likely to be right, and
the big editors, who have been
sitting in their chairs and found 1t
cheap and easy to pander to what they
thought would be popular sentiment,
may find that they have somewhat over
done the thing.
The view which Senator Bayard takes
of this bill will be accepted as a just one.
No doubt it, as all its predecessors of
late years have been, was log-rolled
through Congress, and many of the ap-
preparations have been unjustifiably
made. For this reason Senator Bay
ards vote against it was right one and
the president veto was 4 proper one.
Both are to be commended; and the
votes of those congressman who passed
the measure are worthy of our denuncia
tiOn because OF their error of judgment
but not necessarily, nor even probably,
for any baser reason. They are entitled
to have it believed of them generally
that they voted for the bill because they
thought it best for the interests OF
the country generally, and for theil
part of it particularly, that it should bt
adopted. There were certainly great
public interests demanding its passage
The Mississippi appropriation was ne
cessity for the people living in its valley
and they are enough to make their ne
cessities appeal imperatively to Congress
They did not get larger appropriation
than tEey needed. In fact they did not &c
nearly as much as they needed. If al
the money in the bill had been appropri
ated to measures of equal nationa
benefit the amount would not hav
warranted the slightest murmu
on the part Of the people, bu
would have demanded their heart
appreciation. We have no belief il
the stinting of national expenditure
for national objects. This is grea
country with great revenue, which i
not a heavy tax upon the people. LIE
US have wise legislation that will ensur
us prosperous business, and the peopl
will gladly see great revenues flown
into the national treasury, if they ca
also see that they are wisely an
honestly expended. They do nc
want to he the victims Of e,
travagant and dishonest admin:
tration; but they do want ever
dollar to be expended judiciously tina
will tend to the public advantage and t
the national glory. They will not grudg
the many millions needed to give us a
efficient navy, if the money is used t
that end alone, and not to the enrich
ment of Reaches and to the rObing i
purple of R0besons.
Let US have Bayards to expend th
money and the appropriations may b
unlimited in amount. To get such me
into the public employment, criticisr
of public affairs needs to be judi
cious as well as free !; and I'll,
condemnation of the people needs to
Just and to lead unwaveringly
the political decapitation of the con
demned. When the happy day come
that the people will be intelligent an