New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-23
THE AWBREAh ELS.

There is moi a respectable newspaper in the
county Of either party which does not depiorc
and censure the conduct of riOtOuS. abusive ana
time wasting Democrats in Congress. aAd YET
many excuse and uphold it. Mr.. Mills. thcy
saw with sadness. lost his temper. and behaved
in such a manner as to lessen public confidence
in the party Of which he is a leader, and yet he
is TO he forgiven Mr.. German and Mr.. George
are f,ittering away the time OF the senate IN
vrangling about trifles which gentlemen would
settle under ordinary circumstances with scarce
" word and yet they are eNcuSable. For
what reason? Solely because these are CON
sidered only eAcrcsccnces in determined
struggle to prevent the passage of the Election
bill. and in that struggle partisan newspapers
of the Democratic variety uphold leaders III
any misbehdvior whatever
In the estimation of the Democratic news
papers. then, this bill is so much to be feared
that il is cXcusable for man to lose his temper
and his sense OF dccency, if only he Is thereby
blocking legislation, and dcpriving the ma
iority in Congress of the power to reach Vo'c'
Yet the papers which take this extraordinary
course have not pointed out Objectionable or
dangerous features Of the measure IN question:
They have steadily RETAINED from telling the
truth about it. The reason is that the Dill Is
in fact more moderate and more carefully guard
ed than laws which have for years been en-
forced with satisfaction 70 good citizens OF all
parties III several States.
Why, then, are papers proieSScdIy accent
ready to excuse even the most unScehlY De-
havior. if only that behavior tends to prevent
the passage of the bill in question? No an
swer but one is possible. They know, and
many of them openly confess, that any act by
which fair and honest elections could be Sc
cured would cripple the Democratic party III
certain localities. This means, OF necessity
that the Democratic party carries e'ec1ohS III
such localities by methods which are not lar
and honest. Yet so desperate is the partisan
spirit manifested that men are upheld III thclr
disgraceful conduct because they are helping
to prolong the ability of the Democratic party
TO carry certain elections by fraud.
II must be admitted that such conduct appears
scarcely credible in American citizens, VINO
are presumed to have some regard 1of lTce
institutions. The same newspapers by which
the admitted mSbehavior OF MI NlllS anu
others is thus excused arc wont to profess deep
reverence for the will Of the people, ana patI1-
otto devotion for institutions which enable me
people to govern themselves. Nevertheless
they are countenancinG this unStatesnanllkc be-
bayior for the sake of enabling INSCRIPTIONS
politicians in certain localities to defeat ana
falsfv the will of the people. Men who u>cd
once to uphold the Constitution and the laws
mon who fought for the cause of the mon
against Rebellion, join openly and fran'lcaIIy
in this conspiracy to prolong the power 10 carry
elections by fraud and crime. Side by SIDE
with the rebels who were once manly enough
to fight are ranged these later rebels against
the will of The people who are only brave
enough TO defend cheating.
This is a campaign of education. The people
are gradually getting to understand why 1t IS
that Democratic leaders lose their temper. rave
and rant and defy all considerations of dccency
and parliamentary obligation when a bill to
secure fair elections is pending. NO other
measure gets that party into such state OF
passion. No other party has ever acted as II
is very life was at stake when anybody pro-
posed TO make swndling more difficult.