The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-03-13
The Hospital Investigation.

OuE IttUCio
The Hospital Investigation.
The immense superiority, morally
speaking, of the democratic party over
the republican party is strikingly illus
trated by the action OF the legislature in
reference to the insane hospital The
legislature is democratic by decided
majority in both branches. The manage
ment of the insane hospital has been for
several years in democratic hands.
Charges of corruption and ineficiency in
the conduct OF the affairs of the hospital
having become current, the legislature
created a Joint committee to investigate
them. This committee was composed OF
some of the ablest men of both parties in
each house. 1t made thorough and ex-
haustive investigation, all personal
and partisan considerationsIbeing ignored,
and the democratic committeeman vieing
with their republican colleagues in the
effort TO get at the bottom facts and bring
10 light whatever irregularities had oc-
CURED in the management OF the hospital.
If any criticism can be justly made upon
the committee, it is that it did not extend
20 the accused officers the opportunities
10 which they were entitled 10 meet the
evidence presented against them. Ger
tsinly no democrat on the committee can
be accused OF exhibiting the slightest dis
position to favor the hospital officials, to
excuse their shortcomings. or to screen
them in any way from the just conse-
quences OF their acts.
We confidently assert that there is not
an instance on record in any state or in
the national government of an inquiry
under republican auspices into the delin-
quencies of republican officials, conducted
in the same non-partisan spirit, and with
the same scrupulous concern for the public
interests and absolute disregard of all
other considerations, that was shown in
the recent investigation. The republican
party never fails to stand by its rascals.
In fact, the bigger rascal a republican
shows himself TO be, the more popular he
IL sure to become with his party. Whether,
like DUDLEY, he organizes a wholesale sys-
tenn OF bribery in a political cam
paign, or like CARPENTER, he buys his
way into public office, or, like WOoDs,
he perverts a court of justice into an
agency for the promotion of political
villainy, or, like Representative LINcK, he
plays the brute and bully in a legislative
chamber, the result is the same. He
straightway becomes a hero with his
party and the more fragrant his offense,
the greater hero he.
A different and vastly higher moral
standard obtains in the democratic party.
The democrat who betrays public trust,
who is guilty of political corruption, who
prostitutes the machinery OF justice to
personal or partisan ends, OF who commits
any infractiOn OF decency, retains no stand
ing in his party. He can no
Longer hope for official preferment
or scarcely for personal liberation at its
hands. It visits him with stern and swift
condemnation. The democratic party. in
short, has conscience; the republican
party, so far as can be discovered, has none
at all. Its moral sense has been de-
stroyed by the fanaticism and bigotry
which have become its predominating
characteristics. Republicans who are the
most upright and scrupulous in their
personal characters seem to lose all sense
Of right and wrong where party is in
volved. That this is true the honors that
have been recently paid by republicans
70 such men as DUDLEY and WOoDs, CAR
FESTER and LINCE, abundantly testify.
1t was not always thus. In its earlier and
better DAYS the republican party had
conscience. But this was when LINCOLN
and SEWARD, SUMNER and CHASE were its
leaders. II it had any conscience left,
BLAINE and QUAY and DUDLEY would not
he its leaders to-day.
The report of the hospital committee
reveals very bad state of affairs at that
institution. It's business has been carried
on in utter disregard of correct business
principles 1t has been run by a gang of
rascals in the interest of themselves and
other rascals with whom they were in
league to rob the state. Great corruption
has prevailed in the purchase of supplies,
md the funds have been handled in
reckless manner and without any APP
parent seusc OF puDllC res pOIlhiDlllty. Inc
committee shows no mercy to the men
who have done these things, and we con-
cur with il in the demand that all who
have made themselves criminally liable
shall be vigorously prosecuted. We are
sure no democratic Judge will be found TO
step in between these men and justice.
The legislature has done everything in
its power 70 secure a thorough reform at
the hospital. 1t has abolished the presi-
dency, and created board OF trustees in
whom the people have confidence. 1t has
dealt with the rascals who have misman-
aged the institution in a manner that
must warn ali who come after them
against following in their footsteps It
has established a non-partisan board of
Charities with large powers of supervision
over this and all the other state institu-
lions 1t has. in word, done everything
That was in its power to insure an honest
md efficient administration of the hos
pitaL 1t is for public opinion and the
press to do the rest. THE SENTINEL pro-
poses to do its full share, by thoroughly
investigating every charge that may be
r,o.orox,.art Il