The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-07-05
The True Remedy.

The practical difference between the
civil service sham and real reform is,
that the former proposes to continue
the corrupt system by " hich the Treas
ury has been robbed of untold millions,
and to keep in office the men who col
luded with and abetted the robbers,
while the latter propose to destroy the
system root and branch, and to turn
out the guilty cOnfSderates who made
the spOiiation successful.
these abuses have been going OH
fer nearly quarter of q century. They
are in part the ouLgrowih Of d demon
isiizatioH resulting from the greatest of
civil wars. They have beceme chron-
is, and are fastened on every part of
the public service, like barnacles on
an old stranded ship.
The whole government machinery
is in tho hands of these incum bsnts.
They audit all the accounts for the
Treasury. They handle the bids for
al the enormous contracts. They ad.
lust the thousands Of civil and militia
ry claims that are constantly present.
cd for payment. They Substantially
Determine the construction of the rev.
eaue laws. They have charge of all
ths applications for Office. They keep
the books and the secret archives.
The present Administration is the
sixth successive Republican Admins
tration since 1861, when Mr.. Lincoln
was first elected, The public policy
has run in one continuous rut for
twenty-five years. This long pocses.
sion OF power has led to excessss, and
the people have been taxed and their
Treasury has been plundered to pro-
long it.
The tyrannous rule Of party has COR
rupted the agents it employs to execute
arbitrary orders. Take an illustration
in point. During the investigation of
the Treasury books and accounts, it
was shown that the great ledgers had
been mutilated, that thousands Of era-
cures and interlineatiOus had been
made, that warrants for many miliions
had disappeared, that account books
had been destroyed, and that the sys-
tenn established by Alexander Hamil-
ton for stating the public debt had
been radically changed.
1t was discovered that 81 balance of
over six millions Of dollars had been
forced to make the Iecei pts and expeu-
ditures agree. DR.. Guiltord, q clerk
la the Registers office for fifteen years,
and who had charge of the statements
of the public debt, was called as wit
ness, with the following esult:
"Q.-I SEQ In q column headed
| Amounts to be added to Receipts,
| marked b. $2,0l9, ,776, 10, and another
one marked 'C,' '$l ,0O0, 900: and then
one marked 3D. SIS, ,274 ,051 90, making
a total o. Sc, 293, ,S27,79 which you say
is to be- added to rsceipts.' What is
meant by that?''
"A A.-That il in accordance with the
| Secretary's report Of 1871. These amounts
do not appear on our books They are add
ed in accordance with the Secretary S
| order, ia order to haIDsOHize the twO."
"Q.-I understand That these three
| items, amounting to between six and
seven million dollars, do not appear
| upon your books? ?n
| "A.-They do not"
"Q.-But are added here by order OF
the Secretary?n ~
"A.-Yes, sir"
| That alteration in the public books
was felony. The debt statement was
falsified by it. with the full knowledge
| of the subordinate who eXecuted the
Secretary's order to force fraudulent
balance. This fact alone shows to
what extent the highest officers OF the
| Government have gone to serve the
| party in the econcealmsnt of corruption
and fraud.
The true condition of the Treasury
and, indeed, of the other departments
| will never be known until the Repub.
lican party is driven out of power. AL
important Investigations intended tC
expose its villainies have failsd, by
political devices or by treachery, when
they reached the critical point. Nc
| written order was necessary to shut
down the gates OF Information. Com.
mittees CROPPED in the dark, or were
misled, or were bought out and out
| sometimes with the peoples money
and sometimes with office or with jobs
The public service is rotten from TOP
to bottom. and cannot be purified with
lquackery. Mr.. Eatou's soothing syr
up OF examining candidates for little
places, while ali the important Office.
are URtouched, will have about a.
much effect for reform rs glass O.
soda water would have in case OF Sc
nile gangrene.
There is bat one effective remedy
for the existing evils, and that 10 s
change of administration and the sum
mary dismissal of the corrupt crew
who have conspired to defraud and Il
rob the people. This is to be the gu
preme issue for 1884, aud all other,
must give way before it.-[N. Y. Sun