New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-14
DEMOCRATIC BRIBERY MUST BE PROVED

Several Democratic newspapers speak OF the
nomination Of Mr. l}ricc rs Senator from ONO
as triumph Of corruption. One of these Jour
rails prints his name in hundreds Of places with
the dollar mark before il. Another definitely
asserts that 1.-THE votes bought by his money
were delivered" Many have fallen into the
reprchcnsiblo habit of calling him " the Doodle
candidate" Stcruly rcbuking this diSrcSpcct
toward a Successful Democrat, another Demo
cratic journal serves notice upon all his ac-
cuscrs that if they can prove absolute corrup-
ton. or the bribery OF only one member OF tho
legislature there is We, time to stop the cleo
ton of Colonel Brcc. But if they can not, or
do not they had better keep their mouths shut
tight on the subject in the future
This advice may lc construed as in the
nature Of a confession. Democratic papers
have never yet thought that it was eypcdient
first 10 prove any charge AGAINST Republicans
before publishing and rcitcauns that charge.
On the contrary, falschoodS about prominent
Republicans have for more than thirty years
been The chief material Of Democratic argu-
mcnts. and neither newspapers nor prominent
men Of that party have ever been deferred IN
tho least degree hy the trltiinS circumstance
that the charges made could not bee proved.
When did any Democrat eyer attempt 10 prove
the charges Of unlawful and corrupt issue of
bonds and notes during The Civil War. or the
,andorous assertions regarding Nr. sherman
whom Secretary o. the Treasury. or the aSScr-
ton that either Of dozen Republican Sen
ators. who happen 10 bee men OF some wealth,
obtained h. seat corrup'y? These assertions
have been made and reiterated every day for
years. and score, OF other, Ike them with a,
much confident impotence rs if they had been
ny somebody proved, or rs if the attempt had
AT least been made But similar assertions
about Democrat we are told must be proved
or his Democratic accuScrs had better keep
their mouths shut tight on the subject. Why
this sudden and revolutionary change in the
mode Of treating public por>ouagcS? is n
yir'uou> and respectable 20 lie about a Re
publican. but wholly unpcrmi>,ihlc 70 retail
injurious statements about Democrat until
they have been proved? or has the expert
cucc of some Democratic journals taught them
that rcr>i,tcncy in repeating improved accusa-
tions about Returning Boards and Republican
Presidents and Cabinet officers. and various
Republican, of no'c has resulted in no gain.
but only in d>crcdit and los, for the party
thus continually rcSorting 10 SANDER?
of course it j, dilcuIt-perhapN impossible
TO prove that Colonel Bricc has personally
bought any member Of the Ohio Legislature
The member if there b. one, has natural
hesitation about telling the story. Colonel
Bricc naturally rcfrain> ont of respect for the
feeling, of the party which has allowed him
TO elect himself. But why make fish of one
and Gcsh oil another? Why repeat and be-
licyc all the stories that anybody can contriyc
about any Republican, but ,tornIy warn Dem
ocrats that, as to any story about "A Democrat
if they arc not ready to "actually prove what
they now pretend to know, they had better
keep their mouths shut tight on the subject?