Los Angeles herald., 1892-04-13
THE TARTuFFR ELEMENT IN THE RE-
PUBLICAN PARTY.

ing If they were not so pregnant with
future evil or reminiscent of past peril,
for it ought to be borne in mind the
Republican leaders never get up any
violent access of morality, unless with
the intention of making it cost the peo-
pie something.
Just now lot of Republican pseudo
publicists are filling the magazines with
articles bewailing the political atrocities
perpetrated by Governor David Bennett
Hill in assuring New York a legislature
Democratic in both branches for the first
time in forty years. Democrats who
can see any good in a fellow Democrat
must admit that this triumph of Gov
ernor Hill was thegreatest single service
that has been rendered to the party
since the days of Andrew Jackson. 1t
was preceded by the governors declara-
ton, "The Republicans shall not steal
legislature while l am in Albany"
He kept his word, and, be it remarked,
he was sustained in his course by the
court of appeals-the court of last re-
sort-in the Empire state. Through
Hill's consummste generalship the in
justice of ages was rectitied and the gov
ernment of the great state of New York
was restored to the control OF
the majority, which is another
way OF saying that the Democracy were
at last enabled to come by their own.
I he most important effect of this action
was to enable the legislature to carry
out that provision OF the constitution of
New York which commanded that a
state census should be taken every
ten years as the basis of legislative
aud congressional apportionment. For
years the Republicans, through the pos
session of one or both branches of the
legislature succeeded in making this
clause of the constitution of their state
dead letter.
1t is as true as it is strange that there
are some Democrats even who are weak
enough to allow Republican clamor to
make them insensible of the great obi
cations they rest under to that consum-
mately able statesman, David Bennett
Hill. And yet such developments have
not been unknown in history. Those
who have listened to the splendid
cadences of Jerusalem, thou that kill
est the prophets," can see that history
repeats itself.
But we have not started out to eulo-
gize Hill. We are simply struck for the
thousandth time by the profound hy-
pocrisy OF the Republican party. 1t was
only the other day that that party stole
governorship in Nebraska and another
in Connecticut. In Rhode Island, on
the carrying OF which minim common
wealth they are now congratulating
themselves, town OF 800 inhabitants
has as large a representation in The leg
islature as the populous city of Provi-
dence, with her 100000 souls. The Re-
publican party has been great stickler
for the right and for fair play in the past
There were sixteen contestants in the
fitieth congress, which was Democratic,
and not one OF them was seated. In the
tifty-frst congress, which was Republi-
can, every Republican contestant who
could get up the shadow of claim was
made member OF that body just as fast
as the appropriate ceremonies could be
gone through with-and the time needed
was OF the briefest.
When it became necessary to make
fraudulent president in the person of one
Rutherford B. Hayes, by steal
ing the electoral votes OF the
states of Florida and Louisiana,
how sensitive was the Republican con-
science? 1t was touching spectacle to
see how considerate the leaders OF tb at
organization were to see to it that the
rights of Constituencies were scrupu-
lously regarded. 1t was verify spec
tacle for gods and men!
Going back little further, when it
came to the reconstruction legislation
following upon the heels of the war,
what touching exhibition of justice
and right was presented to the gaze OF
the country? Thaddeus Stevens was at
that time the leader OF the Republicans
in the house of representatives
1t was then thought necessary
to force lot of very objection
able and tyrannical enactments through
congress, and it was regarded as expedi-
ent to pass them without call of the
yeas and nays. 1t was felt that great
many members could not be relied upon
to vote for these peremptory and uncon-
stitutional measures if they knew that
their names would be recorded for all
time. 1t was therefore arranged that
Republicans should everywhere contest
the seats Of Democrats in all cases
where the utmost ingenuity could dis.
cover the slightest pretense for an issue.
By rule of the house, one.ffth of the
members could call for the yeas and
nays. 1had Stephens announced his
inhexible purpose to be to tumble out
Democratic members holding certifi.
Gates from the governors of their states,
as the law provided, until they should
fall below that figure. As fast
as they could be hustled through
the windows of the capitol they were,
accordingly, landed on the pavement
outside. One of the most infamous ex-
amples OF this arbitrary exercise of pow
er was in the case of Dan Voorhees,, the
Tall Sycamore of the Wabash. He had