New-York tribune., 1886-05-07
AN ORG1N OF DEFINITION

As The NeT IOrk Inns Is the recognized
organ OF Mr. CleveIand's Independent support
ers, it il of some little Importance to ascertain
the principle on which il is conducted Mr.
George Jones's testimony settles this question
in an authoritative way. That principle, as all
well-infOrmed readers of that journal have long
known is wanton defamation. During recent
years it has singled ont nearly every conspicn-
Gus Republican in State and Nation "a a target
for its venOmous assaults. At every session of
the Legislature the most influential Republican
members are attacked by it, either op My or by
innuendo. Mr.. Blaine. Senator Sherman, Sen
ator Logan, the mem bers of the Garfield Cabi-
net, and recently Senator Edmunds, have been
the objects of its acrid criticism or malev0lent
abuse. In the preliminary canvass for the
Presidential nomination in 1884 it violently
opposed the two candidates who shared be-
tween them four -ifths of the votes OF the dele
gates TO the National Convention. When Mr..
Blaine was nominated, it not only threshed over
all the old straw of the Muligan compost heap,
but fabricated a new and prepostcr0us charge.
1t accused him of having suppressed four in
eliminating letters, of having substituted four
unmportant letters for them, and of having
deliberately lied and perjured himself. When
three of the letters were shown to be III
evidence and when Mulligan himself produced
the fourth, it persisted in adherng to its
fabrication. 1t even went so far as to receive
stolen goods and to circulate a forged ndorse-
ment which it falsely attributed tn Mr.. Blaine.
In defensive tactics no less than in aggressive
warfare upon leading Republicans The Himess
main reliance is upon defamation. When
nf In no tio WA ch a rO
by his own business associates with having dc
cepted IA large amount OF gift telephone stock
and with allowing the Department of Justice
to be used in promoting speculative interests
in which he had n share, 1t made wild and
reckless onslaught against the Bell Company
and its contemporaries. 1t waited long enough
to get a fat bill of advertising out of that
monopoly and then wantOnly accused Mr..
Garland's critics of being brlbed by the Bell
lawyers and hired to do their work. Day after
day it repeated these insults and insnuations
until it finally succeeded in convincing the
President that the New-York press with the
exception OF The Times was purchaseable and in
the pay of the Bell Company, 80 that in an
unguarded moment he joined in the Democratic
chorus of scurrilous defamation. This was
characteristic method of defending the Admin
istration which it had helped to place in power
in "A campaign Of defamation, lying and forgery.
So long as Mr.. George Jones could employ his
numerous body of "cditors " in giving currency
to these sneaking calumnes and inslnuatiOns,
he was not only safe, but could impose upon
the credulity of the President. But when he
was called to Washington he was at the mercy
of those whose honor and probity he had been
wantonly assaling. When asked for his proofs,
he had to admit tnat he had none that his
charges against his professional associates were
reckless ISLANDERS, and that the 200 which he
had himself received for advertising from the
Bell Company was the only "bribe" " offered of
his knowledge to the press. There was no evil
dence that any journal except The Times had
had any financial transactions with that COM
pany or was improperly influenced by it. Yet
the charge was made again and again in the
most direct and offensive terms and the pro-
fcsson will wait in vain for any apology or
expression of regret from this organ of defama