The Evening critic., 1883-06-18
A Journalistic Lunatic.

In Its rage over the Star-Route trial hasco
the New York Times raves like a mailman, 10
mat paper more than any other one agency
can the failure of the Government in It's
prosecution of these cases be charged From
ihe earliest days OF Garfield's administration
the star.Route trinls have been Its hobby.
When Mr. James and Mr.. Macveagh wore pre-
pairing the evidence upon which to prosecute
the defendants every line and scrap of tho
testimony was given to the public through the
columns OF the Times. II was apparent to
every sensible man that these two ex. Cabinet
offlcors were much more bent ON advertising
themselves as reformers than they were on
bringing the parties against whom they pre-
ferred charges to trial. With the late Attorney
General and Postmaster-General 1t seemed to
be q banjo and tambourine performance for
the sole object OF attracting attention to them.
selves. Instead OF preparing the evidence
promptly, studied procrastlnation prevailed.
from the beginning the Times has com
mended the lawyers In charge of the prosecu-
tion. This Is well known to its readers.
In commenting upon the verdict 1t seems to
have lost all reason. 1t crlttcises severely the
Government counsel, whom 1t has for months
praised. 1t charges that the position of the
Administration was ambiguous, and init.
mates that the President gave the prosecution
Knn9 e IL "a any moral neral, support. This the Times
printed 1t because 1t was false. Equally false
was Its assertion that the Republican during
ins inc conad triai m sided With the defense Moth
knew when 1t made the assertion. The
1tmeS is not only corrupt as
newspaper, US mas O1ten Deen charged, but IL
Is not sincere In Its daily proclaimed desire to
save Government money. 1t assails General
Elmer Violently for the expenditure of $12, 900
IN putting mall service on Western route,
and yet, when the Department made reduc.
tlon OF $4,000 In the running expenses of the
New York postofIice without in the least In
1uring tho efficiency OF the seryice-not a
single complaint ever having been made to the
department. since the reductlon-the
Tunes abused the Department no less
violently. The Times has all the
instincts OF the scoundrel who demands a al.
vision OF plunder as the price OF silence. Why
has II not, II 1t is the great reform journal il
processes to be, raised Its voice In support of
the Department In Its efforts to break UP the
private postonice system in New York, which
Is depriviug the Department OF $500 to $1,000
per day revenue, which system grew up under
The shadow OF the New York postoflce. Does
Inc ItMeS fear 1t may discover friend under
tho hay? II the Times Is an honest reformer,
why denounce Department for expending
Sl2OOO In the West and at the
same time denounce with equal
bitterness the same Department for saving
$4,000 in New York city II It pc honest
in denouncing Brady, Dorsey and others for
what 1t charges their unlawful plunderIng of
the Treasury, why does 1t withhold Its de.
nunciation from the private concerns In New
York city which are daily robbing the Govern
ment OF from $500 to $1,000 revenue In direct
violation OF law, as recently decided by Judge
Wallace, OF the United States Court The
Times may consider this an impertinent cues
tion, but the Republican has a way OF being i'm
pertinent when dealing with sheet that Is
actuated by neither common decency, COM
mon honesty, nor common fairness.