New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-09
THEY MUST INVESTIGATE.


The World newspaper, after rcmarking that
= the House of Representatives next winter
will be Democratic" and that it will inquire
u into the truth of Mr.. Dorsey's charges against
the Republican party for buying votes with
g cash in 1892 asks: "Will it be the chairman
of the House Committee of Elections or of
u Expenditures 10 the Post-Ofice Department
u who will move the resolution next winter to
.ipyestgate the election of 1880 7" We really
don't know which it will be but speaking for
the Republican party, to whose advantage the
investigation is certain to lnure whoevrr
moves the resolution, we venture to express
the hope that the work will he intIustcd to q
special investigating committee. That has
been the usual custom of Democratic Con-
crosses and there seems TO be no good reason
for violating precedent. The investigation CT
the election of 1876 WAS carried on by Especial
committee, and it will perhaps be remem-
bered that while the Republicans reaped all
the benefits the general public had no end of
fun out of it. Nearly if not quite all the in
yestigations set ON foot by the famous i'll vesti-
eating Congress led by the indefatigable
Glover, of Missouri, were the work of special
committees, and they managed to keep the
months. As Republicans we shall not expect
to have any voice In the matter, bnt We ven
ture nevertheless to make this suggestion.
There will be an investigation. of course, per
haps several tile more the merrier-that the
public has right to expect III justification OF
the demand OF the parrot Democracy to
sTurn the rascals OUT" And in order to make
them thorough, special committees should bN
raised for the purpose.
THE TRIBUNE has heretofore pointed out
the necessity for the Democratic majority In
the next Congress to throw its weight at once
upon investigation, that being the only thing
left upon which 1t can harmonic. The under
standing lately reached, that with tile election
of Mr.. Randall as Speaker the agitation of the
Tariff question shall cease, or at least be held
in temporary allegiance, leaves the next Con-
gress no alternative but to investigate the whole
record of the Republican party, in the hope OF
finding some good reason to give the people
why that party "must co." We rejoice to see
that this state Of affairs is appreciated by our
contemporary The World and that it has the
courage to urge that course upon the party
representatives. 1t is quito likely that the
shrewder and moro sagacious leaders, remen-
bering the melancholy experience of former
years, will hold back; but they must be
pressed into it 4; for whatever dismal results for
the party may como from it, they cannot afford
TO expose themselves to the charge of coward
ice by refusing to make the effort to find some
thing in the Republican record to substantiate
their loose, sweeping charges. They must
investigate. They cannot decently or safely
avoid it. And while they are about it they
a
with special committees, duly empowered to
put everybody under oath, send for persons
and papers, punish every body for contempt aid
in general do all the things that minister to
the public entertainment. The public will be
grievously disappointed if the coming Con-
gross does not jump at once into the business
of investigation.
And we are confident that tho special COM
mittees will find out n great many things
Glover's committee did. So did the committee
that investigated the Presidential election of
1876. They happened to be thiags they did
not want to find out, to be sure; but no matter
they interested and entertained the public be-
yond measure. Democratic Investigations
always need skilful and experienced pilot
they are so liable to strike snags. But they do
always find out something Indeed it some
times seems as if Democratic statesman
could not lift up cry for information upon
any subject demanding investigation without
being fdirly overwhelmed by an avalanche of
interesting facts. Here was Judge Hoadly, of
Ohio, calling aloud to Governor Foster a few
weeks ago for the name Of the man who said he
bought his nomination. He thought he had
been slandered But presently in answer to
his call largo bucket full of information of
the coolest and wettest character descended on
him so suddenly That he had to "light ont "
into p warmer climate where he could sit In the
sun and get dry. Then here was our neighbor
of The Sun few days ago calling out rather
angrily for the name of the mythical parsonage
who had said that Mr.. Tilden defeated Han
cock. That Investigation brought fruit i'm
mediateiy. Judge Birdsall, Of Connecticut,
rose up promptly and responded to the call
with day, date and circumstance OF the aver
ment, and an offer of corrobora tive proof.
SO there is every reason to believe that investi-
CATION properly pursued b. special Committees
of the next Congress would find out an abund
ance of things of great public interest. Con-
grcss must investigate. We are glad to see a
disposition on the part of The World to insist
upon it. And we congratulate the public upon
having much fun in store for next winter.
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