The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-31
CURRENT PRESS COMMENT.


ANY attempt to form political party the basis
of protection will have to be preceded by substan-
tial agreement between all industries to the pro-
lection proposed This does not exist and It every
will be absolutely imposslble.-New York Times.
TT was General Grants military habit of trusting
all details to others that enabled Ferdinand Ward to
run his full course of rascaty unchecked and at last
overwhelm his best friends in ruin. Nearly all great
military men fail when they engage in business, and
in this respect General Grants experience not at
all exceptona but it is rare that anyone meets a
more outrageous abuse of confidence than General
Grant received at the hands of Ferdinand Ward. The
Generals testimony makes that clear beyond dispute.
Chicago Tribune.
THE folly of our system and of the system of all
American cities is in the attempt to reach money and
personality by direct tax The persstency with which
that system is adhered to- in the face of continuous
and confessed failure is the most discredtable failure
in American economic history. 1t is in the govern
ment and fiscal policy of cities that learn
thing from abroad, and municipal reformers who want
to do something practical would do well to study the
fiscal arrangements under which the old cities of the
world hourish.-Louisville Commercial
WE are especially glad to find that the General
clears himself from charge which, if sustained,
could not but reflect upon his character. This
the charge that he prvy to the reported
nection of the firm with government contracts. So
far from this being the case he that he told Ward
that there never must be any government contracts
not because he considered there necessarily any
thing wrong in such contracts, but because Il had
think it was suitable for me to have my name
nected with government contracts General Grant
is understood to feel greatly troubled for fear that the
country holds him responsible for something worse
than being the victim of misplaced confidence in this
business but after his frank statement of yesterday
he may dismiss all such apprehensions-Broo
Union.
INSTRUCTION may we'll be given upon the effectsnot
only of alcohol but also of opium chloral hydrate
chloroforn and of tobacco the human system. The
instruction might not cure habit already formed
but it would tend to prevent the formation of the de-
q ed
forms of sefndulgence ignorant of their disastrous
perhaps under the belief that the in
diligence is perfectly healthful. Instruction
ing the ignorance or the error will prove of advantage
in the developing of strong body. vigorous mind and
noble character-Frank Lesle's Weekly.
JACOB THoMPsoN's acts and crimes were precisely
identical in their nature with the barbarous acts
monstrous crimes of the dynamite outlaws who
dertook to destroy public and private property and
innocent lives in London, instead of New York by
similar means. Thompsons offenses defined in
the criminal laws arson: his horrible wo the
work of ncendiary, and he should have been tried
and sentenced to the penitentiary such. He is
entitled to no honors and marks of respect from
great government which he tried by such inhuman
and such dastardly Teans to destroy.-New York
Graphic.
LAMAR, the impassioned defender of Jefferson
Davis sits in the Cabinet displays the flag at half
in memory of rlnmitigated scoundrel who was
believed to have pundered the public Treasury Of
nearly million dollars, and conspred to wreck the
Union which he had sworn to protect and who
tanly did conspre TO burn New York with Greek fire.
Tweed died too Had he been spared until the
rival OF this Democratic he too. might have been
the recipient of the Democratic funeral honors that
awarded to Jake Thompson. Wherever there is
loyal heart to-day there is righteous and indg
nation at Lanars conduct. And yet, why should any
body be surprised?-New York Tribune
THE people that style themselves Latter. Day Saints
and under the precnse of religious belief the
right to return the beastly barbarsm of Abraham
solomon, David and other Oriental haremk keepers of
primitive aga and race must be made to understand
and to realize that that practice is vice that the
civilization of this age and this land will not tolerate
but will suppress and punish by the memorable rgor
of severe penal laws. There is way, and only one
that the socaled LatterDay Saints escape pun
shment and that is to expurgate the heather beast
of their religion and conform it the decences
of more respectable creeds. They ought to make
arrangements with heaven to get new revelation
this point without any delay.-Chicago News.
1T must, we think be the universal Judgment how
ever mingled with reflections of another sort, that
General Grant was innocent of any wrongful intent
and that he showed just appreciation of his standing
before the community when be objected to the gov
eminent contract business, and assured by Ward
that there such business in the firm as in fact
there was none. The statement that he did know
that he was general partner in the firm of Grant &
Ward down to the time of the failure. but supposed
that no was merely special partner must likewise be
accepted true. The humiliation involved in such
confession is great but is trirg compared with an
mputation of intent deceive conding investors or
to make unlawful gains at the expense of the govern
ment.-New York Post.
WE do not like paternal government or monopoly or
depotsm. II is going back, not going forward The
time was. for instance when the price of bread was
regulated by the paternal theory and not by
the laws of trade and if gas is to be- subjected
to such regulation. why not rents, coal candles.
butchers meat, and sugar. Besides what lot of
convenient public Offices would have to be created
with salaries paid ont of the taxpayers pockets and
all the benefits of civ-service examinations and
permanent tenure. However, there is one comfort
about it. Paternal government may be indefinitely
extended by statute and lots of offices NAV be made
and filled and paid for; but if the thing does not work
we'll, the people will presently step in and wipe out
the whole concern, monopoly and aI.-New York
Sun.
Persons who believe that this country has no mis-
sion but mind its very definite business and is to
work out its salvation by exclusive attention to in
ternal development, have already been somewhat
startled by the Senate resolutions and by the fact that
so shrewd statesman Senator Edmunds offer ed
them They trust to the interfering tendencies OF
Secretary Bayard to prevent ''embroiling our
selves, as they term it. Ill the Central American
quarrels which, they say, have become chronic and
concern us in wise. But. as we have pointed out
the present contest is not at all tho regulation Span
sh American quarrel it is not revolutions it is
nothing less than bold and tyrannical at
tempt to convert five American states, against the
will of three of them into empire which cannot fail
to have all the characteristics of military despotism
Moreover, toward one of these protesting states we
have distinct obligations to discharge.-Philadelph
Press
-.
THE SOLID SOUTH
Roster of Offices Thus far Given to Repre-