New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-07


Once more, fishing for frauds by Democratic
reformers brings to the surface conspicuous
Democrats. The Administration. it seems mas
been engaged-and very propcrly-in turning
out the people who hold the great cattle leases
in the Indian Territory; and now 1t discovers
perhaps with disgust and perhaps not, that
considerable if not controlling interest in
those operations is held by certain distin-
guishcd Democrats, and particularly by ex-
Mayor Cooper and Representative Abram ,.
Hewitt. What other prominent associates OF
the Democratic persuasion they have in this city
does not appear: in fact the disclosure Is
altogether a Democratic one, and no Rcpub-
lican vouches for its truth All that can be
said about it is that on high Democratic
authority it is affirmed that the controlling
interest in the syndicate which holds ana
operates the land leases in the Indian Territory
belongs to the gentlemen named and other rich
Democratic associates in NewYOrk. Now this
business has been roundly denounced by Dein-
ocratic journals and Democratic politicians as
one of the most Infamous of all the "infamcus
frauds which had grown up under Republican
Administrations. 1t would therefore be
pleasing to know in what light these Demo
Democrats who come to the front in connection
with the leases.
1t would also be interesting 70 know whether
the President was entirely aware OF these
alleged facts before he decided against the
cattlemen, their leases and their continuance III
the Indian Territory. 1t is true that some
Democrats let out the fact, if it DO fact, that
these eminent Democrats were the Chief
offenders, only after the President had made
his decision. But there is q suspicion in the
minds OF men that perhaps all this is only
another phase Of the internecine war going on
within the Democratic party between the
various factions while ago, when the Sage
of GreystOne and his nearest friends appeared
to be the Administration, the other people
were angry. Now the Sage OF Greystone and
his nearest friends get all the hard knocks,
and the other people, including even poor Mr..
Hendricks and his Indianapolis postmaster, are
much refreshed in soul. We shall know what
it all means in due time, but 1T looks like
very pretty quarrel as it stands.
When Sparks went out fishing Cor rascals,'
the first big fish his hook brought up was Mr..
Bayard. 1t is in accordance with the eternal
fitness of things that when the President him
self goes out fishing for the bad men who have
robbed the Indians and exposed the frontier to
war, and dishonored the Government, and
made mischief generally, the only big fishes his
hook brings TO the surface happen to be con-
spcuous Democrats of his own State. Now let
it be remembered that these operations in the
Indian Territory have been denounced as
infamous frauds, not by Republicans, but by
Democrats. There has been, indeed, prevail
ing impression among Republicans that in all
probability the disgusting baseness OF partisan
scandal was again illustrated in the treatment
of this matter, and that the operations of the
cattle companies did not in fact merit quite all
the abuse that they received. But Republicans
did not suspect that the Democratic scandal
mongers would so soon be called upon to eat
their own words.
In seriousness is it not about time to stop
this dissraceful wantonness Of SANDER? The
reckless accusation of public men, and of all
men who have to do with public affairs directly
or indirectly, has been made the fashion by the
mad partisanship of Democrats. 1t grieves no
Republican to see these huntsmen devoured by
their own dogs.