New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-20
TIE GREATER SEA NDAL.

The Mugwump journals now permanently
attached to the Democratic party affect Writ
uous indignation over the prospect of the re-
nomination of Governor Hill. They protest
against it as an immoral proceeding, and point
to evidence connecting him with various deals
in this town and with the alleged payment of
his no.es by Aqucduct contractors and boodlers
in liquidation of his election expenses. 1t is
no part Of our business to defend Governor
Hill The party associates Of The Evening
Post, and "The Tines will look after his in
terests; or if he be renominated, those journals
themselves will probably defend him from the
assaults which they now make upon him. The
point on which we desire to lay stress Is the
inconsistency of these hysterical displays OF
virtue on the part of journals which are sup
porting President Cleveland If everything
that is charged against Governor Hill be true,
his conduct is not nearly as shameless and i'm
moral as the offences Of Attorney General Gar
land, which the Presiden: has both condoned
and justified Why should these Mugwump
censors be squeamsh about Governor Hill when
they have swallowed the Garland scandal with
out Qualms?
If a comparison Is to be made of " deals" is
there anything in this line in Governor Hills
career so iniquitous and scandalous as the COM
bination made between the Garland and Ben
thuysen rings Of telephone spectators for Sc
curing Government Intervention? Certainly,
there is nothing The Pan Electric Company
had its stockholders in the Departments Of
Justice and the Interior. Attorney-General Gar
land had 81 10000 of its stock in his pos
session, for which he had given legal opinion
respecting infringement that was contrary to
the law and the facts. When the value i'm
parted to that worthless stock by that opinion
had been impaired by infringement suits,
which the company was under obligations to
defend deal" was formed for making the
Government party in action long enough to
enable the two infringing companies to bleed
the Bell Company. The Department of JUS
tice was used by the cOnspirators for the pur-
pose of frightening the Bell Company into
compromise, and thereby enriching the holders
of the Pan Electric stock. The suit was with
drawn only to be renewed with the entire ex
pense of the litigation charged TO the Gov
ernment and this was done when it was
notorious that every question of law and fact
involved in the Bell patents was already be-
fore the court of last resort. This was the
cOutneTn lciepnOHe ucdl, ledulHR w tHC NOieO
scandal with which any department Of any
American Administration has ever been dis
graced. President Cleveland has condoned
these fragrant offences against public decency,
and with Mr.. Garland still in his Cabinet ap
peals to the people for reelection upon the
hypocritical assumption that public office is a
public trust, and that his Administration has
been clean, honest and reputable.
Governor Hill may have had queer way Of
paying his election expenses; but while they
are harping upon the subject, let his Mug
wump censors take time to reflect that Mr..
Garland's fashion of liquidating his indebted
ness for 81 900, 600 of gift stock was far more
reprehensible, and that they and the President
have united in justifying it. AS Senator he
received the stock as present, and as the head
of the Department of Justice he allowed the
Government to become the prosecutor of the
preposterous claims of himself and his fellow
spectators. That was his method Of paying
his deots; and the President and his Mugwump
supporters alike consider that the prostitution
of public functions to private ends is consistent
with the ideal purity of Z" Reform Admins
tratiOn.D