New-York tribune., 1889-12-19
THE RALLOT BOX AND THE DEMAGOGUE


Purity of elections, it may be assumed, Is sin-
cerely desired by every good citizen Inc par
tisan who wants his party to succeed by means
of fraud, though he may think very hlghiy u
himself. is not good citizen, for the meuhou'
he is willing to tolerate strike at the 'ei!
foundation of free government, and 90 harn
which far outweighs any benefits that can re-
sult from the success of either party. But IL is
NOT \ now thing unhappily, to find hypocntes
in the front ranks of reform. when ooVerhoi
Hill pretends to be more anxious for purity Vi
oIoctions than anvnody else, and eX-President
CLEVELAND makes flaming speech Tor reform
as y means of attacking Governor HILL the cause
of pood government does not gain much from
either. ,
Cotor robul,ing sin is not new spectacle
Governor Hill is the over-ripe product OF Ei-
mira bribery, and he cries out aloud about prlp-
ora, at elections. Ex-President Cleveland gained
his office and title by the worst and most dan
perous crime against the freedom OF Suffrage
n crime perpetrated with system and organiza-
tion throughout many Southern States ana ne
seeks to pose as the champion OF freedom oi
elections 1t not easy to credit either OF these
sneakers with genuine sincerity. In qualified
wav each favors something that he calls reform
MIR. Hill would like to make intimidation or
bribery of voters by his opponents as diincuio
as possible, without cWbing his friends. Mr'
Cleveland would like purer elections in North
ern States with "no interference in the affairs
of Staiesr where million of his opponents
were deprived of suffrage Each
"Compounds for sins he is inclined to
nv damninC those he has no mind TO-
As a natural result, each minimzeS or ignores
the offence most successfully perpetrated by
his friends and paints with the utmost eX-
aggeration and in the strongest cOlors the sins
which they do not successfully perpetrate.
II is due to free institutions in this country
to protest against the sweeping statements OF
Mr.. Cleveands Boston address. Corruption
and bribery are not in reality increasing fright
fully throughout this country. 1t may even be
seriously doubted whether there is as much of
either as there was thirty years ago. when the
long-continued strife for spoils between two
great parties, each ready to uphold the crime OF
human slavery, was arrested by that tremen-
dous uprising of moral and religious forces
which brought Republican victory. No poll
tician who was familiar with the electoneenng
methods of old times will hesitate to admit that
bribery and corruption were then exceedingly
prevalent, both in the great cities and in smaller
| towns. and the spectacle of two rival candidates
| for Governor openly buying votes in the streets
| of city, which was seen nearly thirty years
| ago can nowhere be witnessed in these days.
Mr.. Cleveland exaggerates for effect The evil
that remains is great, and does indeed demand
the thorough remedy which he advocates. But
no good can be done by pretending that the
country has made no progress toward better
things If proof is wanted this suffices that
thirty years ago, or twenty, or even ten, there
was no such npened public sentiment in favor
| of pure elections as to make that cause at
tractive to any prominent demagOgue.
But let the truth THAI Mr. Cleveland has
spoken be welcomed If his strong words can
break down that partisan feeling which sup
ports Governor Hill in defeating ballot reform
| in New York, and Governor Albeit in New
Jersey, let him have full credit for them. Only
let it not be forgotten that the crimes which he
! is careful not to mention are in every respect
as wicked, as shameful, as degrading to the
moral sense, and as damaging to free institu-
tions, as those he elaboratey denounces Stop
bribery and corruption at the North, by all
means, but also stop ballot-box stuffing and
false registration and fraudulent returns every
where and the wholesale exclusion of voters
not pleasing to the dominant party at the South.
Reform is not a reSpecter of persons.