The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-10
A MONUMENT TO 1NcArAcrTY.


Public monuments should always be
erected to the victors tor human right
The victor may be martyr who becomes
the seed of the triumphant church mill
tant of liberty, or he may be both the wit
ness of the dawn of doubtful battle and
the winner OF decisive victory before
dark. Warren falling in defeat at Bunker
Hill belongs as much to the victors of
American liberty as Washington at York
town. Common sense and moral sense
therefore demand that a public statue
should stand either for martyr whose
victor who wins the battle for human
right and lives to enjoy his fame.
While this is the true idea that should
underlie public statue under repubii-
can form of government, nevertheless in
practice We lind public statues that are
erected in the spirit of sheer partisanship,
erected to men who we're conspicuous for
nothing so much as chronic incapacity
TO rise to the level of the greatness which
@ generous and coniiding people have
thrust upon them. A statue to
Washington, Franklin, Marshall, Warren,
Fulton, Hamilton, Dewitt Clinton, Jack
son, Webster, Clay, Seward, Chase, Lin
coin, Stanton, Grant, Sheridan, Andrew
or Morton is understandable, because,
though all these men did not render equal
service to the country, they all at times
rendered great and inestimablc service of
patriotic rather than partisan quality.
But when the Democratic party gets pos
session of the common council of great
city they arc sure to raise a statue to IA
man, not because he was ever great and
glorious American citizen, but because in
sickness or in health, in sorrow or in
mirth, in sunshine or in storm, he was al
ways hidehound Democrat.
Every Tammany thief voted himself
jeweled badge at the expense of New York
city, and the "RingH had started a sub
scription to erect bronze statue of "Bin"
Tweed on the deck of his pirate ship about
the time il foundered with all on board.
This subscription grew far more ranidlv
than that 10 the Grant monument. for
the wealthy, raScally traders, politicians
ana brokers of New York recognized
that bronze statue to n living municipal
thief and Democratic tyrant like Tweed
would be likely TO declare a dividend in
gold some day in shape of light tax an
praisements, stock gambling aud iobberv
OF ali sorts, while Grant, living. was 4
damage to the Democracy, and dead his
skull was, like that Of Cesar, only n sub
jeet of solicitude TO antiquarians and other
folk VINO are not among the lambs that
furnish golden hceees 10 the shearers of the
street. When it was objected 10 the
Tweed statue.that Tweed was municinal
thief and tyrant. the answer came back,
"No man is thief until he is convicted
by the courts, and in the meantime Tweed
is Democratic statesman of unimpeach-
able partisan record" Nothing prevented
the erection OF \ statue of Tweed in New
York city save the sudden exposure of his
thefts, for otherwise his gross. lecherous,
greedy face would today be in Central
park. or some public square of New York
city, and strangers who inquired his ante.
eedents would be eynicaIly told that "he
was famous Democratic municipal thief
who stole our city POOR number Of years
ago
Since the death Of Tweed the Democrats
OF New York have been hard pushed for
poruiar subject FOR . statne. Asa master
municipal thief Tweed stood alone. and
hoeody since his day has robbed the city
with sufficient aulacity and success 70
excite the enthusiasm and gratitude o. tie
democratic masses, who are always ready