The Republican journal., 1885-09-17
Democratic Methods.


ends, SO relentlessly devoted to the persecution
of individuals, as under the present regime
The case of John Roach is perhaps the mos
important, because in crushing him the Cleve
land administration struck direct blow a
American labor and drove out of business
| who man has devoted his life, energies and capt
tai to building up our merchant marine. Bu
\ lie was, and is, a Republican. and he stood ii
| the way of the free ship ring, who derive theil
| inspiration and sinews of war from British
| sources. The methods employed 10 bring abou
/ the financial ruin and suspend the business OF
this enterprising American shpbuilder were
alike contemplate and ridiculous In The lat
ter category may be placed the so-caled opinion
of the Attorney General that the contracts witt
| Mr.. Roach Were invalid. This, of course
would relieve the bond>men of Mr.. Roach anC
place the Government in a worse position
than the builder of the cruisers. Ridiculous
also were the demands of the Secretary Of the
Navy for tests which only stopped short OF de-
handing that the Dolphin be sent to in q
gale and run upon reef to see if she could
Withstand the strain and shock. Now every
body knows, or ought 10 know, that these ships
were built upon plans and specifications fur
nished by the Navy Department and that their
construction was carried ON under the super
vision of the agents of that Department. ii the
work was not done ill accordance with the
specifications the supervising board were to
blame. But no such claim has been made.
After all The fuss and Mr.. Roach had been
forced TO make an assignment, the Democratic
press announced that 500 would complete the
Dolphin according to contract and that the
cruisers would be completed in the Roach
yards by the Roach workmen. The ''opinion'
Of the Attorney General is conveniently ignored,
after serving It's purpose of compelling Mr..
Reach, in self-protectioD, to make an assign
ment.
Then there is The case of Miss Ada Sweet,
the pension agent at Chicago. Without the
slightest grounds for complaint against her
management, the Pension Commissioner
himself stated, and in violation of the civil SER
vice rules. he demanded Miss Sweets resgna-
ton that the office might be made factor in
the attempt to defeat Gen. John A. Logan for
Sweet refused to resign, and the storm of indg-
nation aroused by the demand and the motive
which prompted it, caused the Administration
to stay its hand for time in this warfare
against woman. Recently an attempt was
made to show that names were fraudulenty
carried on the rolls of the Chcreo pension Of
fee. This also was failure, hut the Admins
.Ia
out of office, and Mrs. MuIigan has been APP
pointed 10 the place. The mugwump Washing
ton correspondent of the mugwump Boston
Herald says: The change is a purely political
one. The charges against Miss Sweet would
not hold water"
The raid upon the Alabama Claims Court is
plainly another case of political and personal
persecution, judging from statements in the
Democratic press. Mr. Walker Blaine happens
to hold position under this court. and this
high-minded and statesmanlike Administration
wants TO strike blow at the father over the
shoulders of the son. Possibly an Interior OBJ
ject is TO force the present Commissioners to
resign, that they may be succeeded by Demo-
crats; but in any event the present situation is
such that the business of the court will be
brought 10 stand still and claimants put to
further unnecessary delay and expense. The
ground taken by the First Comptroller that the
Court cannot employ clerks or counsel, or even
a scrub woman at IS per mouth, is utterly un-
tenable and absurd. This is shown bv the state
ments of Judge Wilson and other lawyers in
tercsteI 10 pending before The Commits
sioners ii asking The Comptroller to reconsider
his action in disailowing the expense account Of
the court. They say that The enforcement Of
his ruling will seriously embarra-s the business
of The court and prevent the settlement of
large number of important cases pending and
awaiting trial. 1t was also contended that
there could be no i.!e9aiiy i'll The employment
Ct the present legal and clerical assistants. IN
asmuch as the accounts of The Court for such
expenses had been approved by former Comp
trolers and sanctioned by Congress, which had
extended The time Of the Court with a full
knowledge of its composition and manner Of
doing business. The Comptroller reserved bis
decison-irobaby 10 get an "opnion" from
Attorney General Garland.
The case of Paymaster General Smith we
have before referred to. but ii may be again
touched upon a part of the remarkable rec
ord this Administration is making. Whatever
may be the finding OF the Court, and the action
OF the President thereon-they are not known
at this writing-thc wrong inflicted upon a
worthy and gallant officer by unwarranted re-
Elections upon bis character and official integri-
~ it Is not SO easy to set aside. One Of the
charges against Gen. Smith was that he had eX-
tended the time for delivery under contracts.
and yet while the court martial was going on
his successor in office, Commodore ochley, was
doing the same thing; and. as his predecessor
did, for the best interests of the Government.
W hen the kearsage sank the Alabama, Pay
master Smith then young officer, commanded
a division in the victorious vessel. This fact
does not perhaps commend him TO the present
powers that be; and, in fact the successful
further degradation Of standing court martial
are said to be directly due to those who fought
on the Alabama or sympathzed with the cause
she represented.
On the first page of this issue of the journal
will be found a letter from extension Agent
Norris, of Philadelphia, which shows that the
methods employed against him are precisely
similar to those used against Mr.. Roach, Miss
Sweet and others that this Administration has
honored with its enmity.
An officer of the Maine Central Railroad Co.,
in a letter to the editor of the journal, SAYS
Every person, l think, likes to know that his
efforts are appreciated, and in this connection