New-York tribune., 1888-03-23
\ zooxrSc-cLAss FOR 1NDsPENDENTs

There ;s a small fraction Of voters who de-
light to call themselves Independent ana VINO
really think themselves more conscientious or
more intelligent than the rest OF their feiiow
citizens They wonder that they are regarded
with contempt especially by other men VINO
have knowledge of public affairs, but console
themselves with the thought that martyrs
crown demands martyrs endurance It
rankles q little, nevertheless, when they lind
themselves profoundly dcspised by men of un-
deniable intelligence, and the sad-eyed lnde-
pendent attributes the fact to the binding in
tensity Of party feeling. Then these same
persons as il to show all the world why they
are despsed, go out before mankind and say
that "there is no difference between parties,
but they uphold Mr.. Cleveland because he has
honestly tried to do his duty, and has given
the country a clean Administration"
Try, Messrs Independents, for once to see
yourselves as others see you. Ask what would
be thought of Republican President who had
made his Administration tool in the hands OF
a ring of his partisans who were trying to sell
stock in telephone company a President who
had retained an Atorney-Gcncral whose pub
]ished opinion that the Bell patents were void
W
ing the stock of the ring, and who had profited
by sharing the proceeds; who had permitted
that Attorney-G General to hold large amount
of stock given to him as bribe to secure the
use of his name and influence; who had re-
ferred the question whether Government should
assume the expense of suits on behalf OF tins
political ring, and should attack the validity
of its own patents, not to a disinterested party,
but to a Secretary of the Interior who was the
close personal and political friend of the con-
spirators; who had confirmed the finding OF
the Secretary, and rewarded him for his COM
plaisance in whtewashing, by making him
Justice of the Supreme Court, where he might
have chance to pass upon the validity OF the
disputed patents who had tolerated an ex-
penditure of a hundred thousand dollars.
more or less, of the peoples money in suits for
the benefit of this ring of plunderers; who had
seen his AttorneyGeneraa condemned as in
competent by the adverse decision OF United
States Judge in Ohio, and again by an adverse
decision in Massachusetts, and finally by de-
cision of the Supreme Court; and who never
theless kept the bribc-s stained and incOmpe-
tent Attorney General in his Cabinet, because
he did not dare to break with the political ring
of plunderers behind that officer
What would be thought of Republican
President of whom such things were true
Would any Democrat or Independent say that
this President was "honestly trying to do his
best,n and that he chad given the country
clean Administration? If anybody did make
such statement, would he not be despsed by
every intelligent fellow citizen?
The so-called Independents who pretend
that they can find no difference between par
ties advertise their own ignorance. 1t may be
the ignorance of partisan blindness or preju-
dice; that is for them to say. But the differ
ence between parties has been visible to ab
men ever since Mr.. Cleveland came into office
Republican voters would never have tolerated
such discreditable appointments as he has
made or such scandal as the Garland-Tele-
phone case. Republican voters would have
deemed it an insult to them to propose the re-
nomination of such President, and would
long ago have made that denomination utterly
impossible.