Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-07-16
THE PAYNE CASE.

The reports made to the Senate yestcr-
day on the Payne Bribery Investigation,
by the Committee OH Privileges and
Elections, are the most remarkable docu-
ments emanating from that remarkable
committee for some time. The commit
tee is composed OF five Republicans and
four Democrats, and after careful cx-
animation OF all evidence offered, the
Democrats unhesitatngly refuse 10 recon-
mend an investigation, while three OF
the Republicans, knowing they could not
establish case, and fearing the lash of
party organs, vote against an investiga-
ton, but so hedge their report with IFS
and ands as to clearly show that they
fear the opposition of their party journals
more than they value the consciousness
OF doing right for the sake Of right.
They report that they do not find that Il
case has been presented that would affect
Payne with such turpitude as would toll
crate his expulsion from the Senate, nor
that the testimony is accessible that
touched the subject of the personal in
culpation OF Payne" and yet they find it
necessary to sign report differing with
their Democratic colleagues, only to offer
sop OF consolation to the horde OF po,
litical charlatans throughout the country
who had set their hearts on ousting SEN
ator Payne, and thereby placing Il stigma
on the party and its methods, which they
could play upon in the coming campaign.
Hoar and Frye, two rock-ballasted,
blue-bellied fanatics, who are so
imbued with the down-east style OF
Republicanism that nothing Democratic
finds favor in their eyes, reported that
"the question is not whether the case is
proved, it is only whether il shall be in
quired into," and submitted resolution
squarely in favor OF an investigation. OF
the two sides OF the Republican contin-
gent on the committee, Hoar and Frye
have the best OF it, for, while sensible
men will incontinently damn both sides,
they can view with pity the adject atti-
tude of the great triumvirate who smell
bad things through the noses OF other
people, and Hoar and Frye are saved
that humiliation. All the malice of the
malicious gang in Ohio has been turned
against the devoted head OF Henry B.
Payne, first because he is Democrat,
and second becuse he is millionaire and
head OF the Standard Oil Company,
which corporation it is charged helped
materially to lessen the grip OF Republi-
cans on the vote OF Ohio. The virulent
hatred OF Halstead ior his contemporary
Mclean had n chance to get even with
him by hurting Payne, whose daughter
Mclean married, and as is usual with
Halstead, he sank all principles politi-
cal and otherwise, to bring about the de-
feat oil the Senator, and failing in that he
has chafed in his cage, like madman,
until he worked up Sufficient hue and
cry 10 bring about this tempest in n tea
pot, which was yesterday quietly
shelved. The result in this
case, as in all the Others preceding
it, where malicious attacks were wantonly
made on the Democratic party
and its friends, is substantial bene-
fit to that party, and a correspond.
ing drawback to their opponents, for
the thinking people are now in the ma
jority, and naturally condemn anything
so malicious and partisan as the recent
attack on Senator Payne. Again we ask
the Democrats OF the West to bear in
mind the facts in this case, and observe
how they will be distorted by Republ-
cans when it shall become necessary for
them to abuse the Democratic party in
the next canvass.