New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-09-08
THE THING NEEDFUE.

There are thousands OF Nop'lS WI" ~
anxious to do their duty this year. but are ho'
vet sure that they see the path OF duty IoS,
siblv the result may turn upon thelr maj
decision They see that the Republlcan party
has so governed that. in all material thlhgT'
the country is more prosperous than II ever
was under any other party. lhey see
that labor has better reward ana capnai
n more solid foundation. They see thNt the
Government has been steadily reformed ana
improved in administration, 80 that its loss OF
revenue by misconduct of officials * less than
onc-thousandtb part as great rs II was under
George Washington. and that less than one
dollar is lost now, IN proportion to receipts ana
disbursements. where two thousand dollars
were ost under tho last Democratic President.
10 thoughtful aud conscientious men, there
fore, the cry "Turn the rascals out seems
grotcsquc, ridiculous and impudcnt. Yet some
have doubts rs to their duty.
Can they not push their reasoning one step
further? They see that the rascals who want
10 g,t in are the only people In this country
who have the amazing mcudacity to say urn
the Iascals outn But can they not also see
that the reckless defamation of public men has
become a great evil, which it is their duty to
resist with all their mIghtl
For twenty years the Democratic party
has been trying to put back into power the
worst set of rsscals the country ever saw 10y
crying "TurI the rascals out :" The rotten
rings OF New-YOrk, the Democratic state
governments at tie South, which have their
very birth in the most Infamous crimes, and
are kept alive by such crimes only, make the
Democratic party what it is and give 1t nearly
all its strength. Yet, with sublime impudence,
this party of rascals has been for twenty
years pretending to seek Reform In its
dishonest ondcavor, not single public man OF
influence has been spared. Abraham Lincoln
was accused of cnIiching relatives by specu-
lations i'm cotton. General Grant was accused
of participation in the Black Friday spccu-
lation. General Garfield was called DE
Golycr.r and $329r was scrawled on pave
mcnts by creatures meaner than snakes. Now
the same engine of utilization is TUNED upon
James G. Blainc-was turned upon him eight
years a1o by the Confederate Bngaders who
dishOnorcd themselves in trying TO manufact-
urc public record against him.
This defamation of public men has become
the main weapon Of the Democratic party. 1t
does not dare to advocate free trade in the
Eastern States. and at the West it is pOwerlcss.
IT does not dare to meet Republican arguments
on any question Of public policy. Its sole
chance of success is to BLACKBOARD and Willy
all prominent Republicans SO perslstenty and
so outragcousy that honest voters shall at last
think " there must he something in it," In that
foul effort the Democrats no longer stop at lies
about the public acts of men, but make war on
wives and children and desecrate graves TO
give their falscho0ds a better chance. All
these things they DO in the name of Reform
while supporting candidate who owes his
nomination To- Hubert q. Thompson, and pre-
tending TO want clean government" through
the election of Mr.. Cleveland, whose personal
character cannot bc discussed.
The duty of the people Of This time is to
rcbuke the resort 10 defamation ms the sole
weapon of political party. II is 10 tell men
that, If they are manly enough to advocate free
trade, or change Of National policy in any
other respect, they shall have a hearing, but if
they dishonesty seek change of public policy
by means of infamous ISLANDERS. they shall be
tramplcd under foot rs ypcrs, and held enemies
Of the human race. There can bc neither good
government nor cool order nor social
Improvement nor intelligent consideration of
any public question. If tocllcs7 dcfh nation il
suffered to have more weight than sound
argument.