New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-03
SELECONTICTED.

At the bar of public opinion the Democratic
party has been arraigned as incompetent to
govern. Is it not the fact that the charge is
virtually admitted by the worthiest and most
intelligent Democrats? They deplore the In
capacity of their representatives in Congress,
and feel that the longest and most wasteful
session on record has been almost entirely bar
rem of legislation for the public good.
Arraigned before the people for extrava-
gance, the Democratic party has made the proof
conclusive by voting away more of the public
money, at the last session, than was ever appro-
priated at any previous session. Nor can Dem
ocrats themselves deny that gross sectionaism
and partsanship have marked both the grants
and the refusals of public funds.
Arragned for dsloyalty, the Democratic
party could hardly have done more to make the
charge conclusive and unanswerable If it had
tried. It's selection of men noted only for dis
loyalty both for thousands of minor places of
trust and for posts Of the highest honor. its
behavior regarding the return Of captured rebel
flags, and its Presidents vetoes Of pension bills
and sneers at those who risked their lives for
the Nation, are not forgotten.
Arraigned for hostility to Civil Service re-
form and violation of its pledge to maintain
and carry forward that reform, the Democratic
party has been confronted by The TRIBUNE
with such overwhelming proof of debauchery
of the public service, and such a record Of
shameless appointments that it has cast off all
disguise. 1t is no longer pretended that the
public Offices are not everywhere used for par
tisan ends custom houses and post offices have
become Democratic forts and the public bust
ness is everywhere openly neglected by men
who spend their days and nights in working
for the reelection CT the very man who de-
clared it dangerous to the public welfare for
President to accept such support at the hands
of his appointees.
Arraigned for want of zeal or courage in de-
fence Of National rights, the party finds itself
utterly Inundated by the declaration Of the
British Minister that those who seek to serve
British rather than American interests can rely
upon it that the Administration is only trying
to befool the people, and can be trusted to sat
isfy the British Government. Only after angry
and despairing notification by his party man
ayers that his defeat would be insured by
further inaction, only after days of appeal to
the British Government to get its too candid
Minister out of the way, did the President re-
sent an imputation so dishonorng.
Arraigned for hostility to the American pol
icy of protection, the Democratic party has
closed years of palterng and dishonest evasion
with such declaration of war by the Presi-
dent, and the passage of so radical bill by the
House. that every Free Trader in this country
or in Great Britain has become passionately
anxious for the Presidents reelection. The
most extreme and reckless of them, the men
who want all custom houses abolished the
Socialists who hold that property in land is
robbery, are openly supporting Mr.. Cleveland
Their aid is welcomed by the Democratic State
and National committees, who send them out
to expound Democratic doctrines.
The Democratic party has convicted itself.
The charges of its opponents have been estab
lished beyond dispute by its own acts. 1t only
remains for the people to render their verdict.