Omaha daily bee., 1888-02-15

urged to express himself regarding the
measure. Mr.. Hewitt asserts that .Tilden
refused to say or do anything about it.
Subsequently Colonel Pelton was sent
to him from Washington and returned
With the statement that Tilden con-
sented to the passage OF the bill and
was satisfied 1t was the best thing to do.
Hoadly replied to this saying he ad-
hered to his statement for the reason
that he had the highest possible au-
thority for it, that OF Tilden himself.
The interest of this controversy lies
in the fact that it is between democrats.
both of whom speak with measure
OF authority. It's value is simply
as contribution to the truth
of history. In order to deter
mine which is the more credible wit
ness it is necessary to refer to their rela-
tive positions at the time the electoral
bill was passed. Hewitt was a member OF
congress and also of the democratic
national committee. Hoadly was prac-
ticing law in Cincinnati. The former,
rs he says, was somewhat prominent in
the conduct of the campaign and deeply
interested in the result. Is it at all
probable or reasonable that Hewitt and
the democrats at Washington would
have permitted this measure, so vital to
their party, to go through without con-
sulting the leader to whom they were so
ardently devoted and whom they fully
believed had been elected?
Would not such a proceeding
have been monstrous disregard
of every consideration and courtesy due
Mr.. Tilden? Would Tilden have quietly
submitted to be thus ignored? 1t is
absurd to suppose that the democrats in
congress would have been guilty of any
such action, or that Samuel j. Tilden
would have quietly tolerated it If at
tempted. But Hoadly says explicitly
that Tilden told him he neither con-
sented to nor advised the bill nor was
consulted with regard it. Very likely
he did tell him so, and still we should
accept the statement Of Hewitt. Mr..
| Tilden became very sore over the result
| of the electoral commission, which hap
| pened to be constituted differently from
what he and the democrats generally
had confidently expected, and
! he was quite capable of seek
ing to wash his hands of all
responsibility for it. 1t was not manly
or just to do so, but Mr.. Tilden was not
saint, albeit the democratic speakers
at the dinner in honor of his birthday
sought to make him appear as one. He
was shrewd and able lawyer who had
made his profession very profitable, and
an adroit politician who seized a favor
able opportunity to rapidly advance his
| political fortunes. But he was not all
sterling metal.
The simple truth is that the electoral
commission was a democratic device,
conceived and carried out in the faith
that David Davis would have the
casting vote in the commission,
and there is not reasonable
doubt that Mr.. Tilden knew
all about what was intended and was
satisfied to let the matter take the
course which his democratic adherents
in congress had planned. The scheme
did not work according to the design,
and thereupon Mr.. Tilden, who was
shrewd enough to keep so far reserved
as to enable him to do it,shouldered the
whole responsibility on the representa-
tives of the party in congress. Mr..
Hewett being quite as reputable and
truthful man rs was Mr.. Tilden, with
every incentive to tell the truth in this
matter, his testimony will be regarded
by all fair-mindcd men as conclusive.
The city hall should be large enough tt
provide for the board of education, the city
library, the police and fire departments, thu
board of public works-in fact to meet every
need of the city for offices. There should bt
an end to rent-paying by the city. It should
also be building of which the people will
not be ashamed.-Rcpublicdn.
All this has been thought Of and am
ply provided for, in the plans of E. f
Myers, years ago. Not only that, bu
there are ten large offices to spare
for which no occupants as ye