New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-28
INDEPENDENT VOTERS.
They REGARD THE DEMOCRATIC CAM
PAIGN AS A HUGE BUNCO GAME
An ORIGINAL MUGwUMP DENOUNcES 1T AS COM
rosED OF TmCKERY. DECEIT AND DIS
HONESTY - SOME RINGING WORDS

AN ORIGINAL MUGWCMP DENOUNCES 1T AS CON-
rosED OF TMcKERY, DECEIT AND DIS
HONESTY SOME RINGING WORDS
FROM Mr.. HENRY C. LEA.
From "The Duty Of Political Independents By Henry
C. Len in The New-York Independent" OCTOBER 70.
To Independent The most important and farreach'
ing question Is that OF Civil Service Reform In this
the platform OF neither party is satisfactory there Is
little difference between them except that the Demo
cratic plank necessarily contains objurSatlon Of
the Administration. We must therefore look to the
candidates rather than to the parties for any hope
which VIC may have OF progress In the REFORM Weigh
ing t'eir comparative merits dement's, In this
respect must admit that although Mr. Harrison
has been far from satisfying his record Is much
better than that OF Mr. Cleveland whose earnest per
sOnal antce.ccion edges were so scaudaousy mega
tived by the unprecedented orgy Of "paronage' that
dsgraccd his whole Administration, when the cxecu-
tive power prostltuted not only to reward his
followers, but to control political conventions and
legislative action in support Of his personal policy
During the four years of his Presidential term he made
no extension Of the classified service just before
It's expiration. when, for the charitable purpos, OF
embarrassing his successor he applied the reform TO
the railway mail service Mr.. Harrison has at least
extended it TO the Indian Service and the Navy Yards
and under him the enforcement Of the law has bcen
much more rigid than under his predecessor. The
and his willingness to retain the position Is It's proof
We hear ll;tc or nothing Of the cvasiOns which were
50 rife under Mr. cleveland; officials are sefc from
assessments. and there more raiHcs for the
Widow McGinuis's pig. It Is true that MIR. Clevcnrds
letter Of acceptance is more elusive In lite promise
than The more guarded language OF Mr. ilarr',cns
but we remember his letter OF acceptance in August
lisa nnd his subsequent uteranoes. and We have
tested their valuc by the infamy of Mr. Vllas's secret
circular the p caOmcnal activity Of Mr.. Stevenson a.
a h.adsnan the scandals Of the indianapolis ana
Ia Gilmore postoniccs under Mr. Bypum and Mr.. Cor
man and the universe, uptlnning OF the public service
from territorial judge t. scrnbwomen. We cannot al
ford Il repetition Of these disGnoehl and demora fhng
scenes, and We feel II safer TO nst the future Of the
reform TO the GOODNESS Of Mr.. Harrison than To the
hypocritical gu,h OF Mr.. Cie,elaCd.
DEMOCRATIC TARIFF TRICKERY
Next in importance to civil service reform may be
considered the tariff. There too many shades OF
opinion. ranging from absolute FREQ Trade To raod
exclusion m. for me 10 discuss within THIS limited
space their comparative sOundn"Ss as II matter OF
public policy. They all honestly held and each
can find plausible arguments for its support. Per
,onally am Proeconlst and regard the amazing
progress and prosperity Of the country since The War
As sufficient proof Of the wisdom Of the Republican
tariff measures. bit / have reproaches to utter
against those who entertain different Views In the
present canvass. however the tarif que has It's
moral Is We'll as us material aspect. when must MOI
be- lost sight Of by those who are striving to purify
our politics and elevate the standards OF our public
life. The Republican party has honestly proclaimed
asks TO be Judged by 1t It's candidate doe, thc same.
and votsrca doubt as to It's principle and policy
gigantic bunco game. with Mr.. Cleveland a bunco-
stcrrer In chief To satisfy the free trade sentiment
81 tho south and w.t. and 10 plncaie ihc Allinnc"
The Chicago platform borrowed Q plank from n"
Montgomery c2n'u 1s and dgcqr'G IT ,d i1 S
Federal Government hns no constitutional power to
po," OF revenue only" This IS emphatic ana nnnis-
taxable can vote for the candidates placed on
this platform without giving hi, assent TO The con
sulutional principle asserted. ana without Affirming
his readiness 10 SEQ every protective duty at once
readily can he from comparatively few articles 81
universal CONSUMPTION. Yet. ever since the Platform
precated. II has been nic main effort 81 ihc party
leaders I'm fh" North and Enst. 10 explain hat Il doc
clothing Interest are given 70 understand hat Tie
lest session the liou~" passed bill which failed In
D." senate limiting III" wardrobe, - be- entered free
prctensc and Of ths lh" principal "oium necessarily
fails 10 Nr Cleveland. the representative Of DIS party
party. The ono pr. eminent virtue which h- friends
are In the habit 81 claiming for him + that he hn-
he cournec 81 MS convictions, h" i known not Ia
believe In The fundamental principle ~ his plat
form and yet In his letter of acceptance after three
month, Of anxious incubation ho assumes bis share
~ The swlnde Wy carefully arranged sertc, Of con
Trajectory propo-tioms ik" III" motto OF III" Little
AN parties to pcase and all difference smother
what in one liuc We ,'ate We r"trac' In anotlcr"-
tlonsts in Connecticut without forfctnr those OF
Free Iradcr' IN hlabama Tier Is greater ruth than
vovc, question Of markets, II also Involves ques
ton Of morals the supreme immortality 4 endenvorng
vote without admitting his readiness 10 every prln
cplc Of political morality sacinced party sI~cc-s
An election won by rIckev Transparent would be
the mot deadly defeat Of all that independents have
sought 10 accomplish.
WILDCAT BANKS AND CURRENCY
The Republican party. a party + Overwhelmingly
in favor Of hoocst dollar; the Democratic party,
as party. Is overwhelmingly IN favor Of any device
10 debase the currency. This apparently ineadlcabc
tendency t. st more strldnsly shown by The uncx.
pccted nericction in the Chicago platform Of n new
project with the object. tic resurrection Of the
sciiinct state hanks Of i.suc. II was like clap Of
thunder from cloudless sky TO find this question pre-
cpltatcd upon rs, when We had snpposi that bUiial
Of thirty years bad erased from the thoughts Of men
all memory ~ those old vurcs which were wont t.
prey upon The community. Vet the hope Of securing
Alliance vot"a In the southwest nv the promise Of
limited supplies Of WORTHLESS currency wa, TOO natierng
to be resisted. and the has rrccvabIy pledged
book issued by the Democratic Natlounl Committee
seriously argues that the taxation Of the currency Of
state banks Is unconstitutional aud must be- repealed.
aud Democratic orators and orgnns cvcrywhcre en-
ecavOing prove TINT the rcsscntion ~ the state
bank system is desirable. There f. Of course,
vague Jrtcnsc TINT r.trlc ions can be imposed which
Will diminish the admitted evils ~ the old state
banks but these suggestions deceive even
those who make them: for II Is maniic-tly hcyond the
power of the Federal Government to prescribe the
terms on which the state, shall Individually chatter
hanks. While som" Of the states might impose wise
sIic'ions Is impossible 10 predict what lNity Others
might see ~ 10 allow and requires prophet 10 prs
diet The "rd"' Of shaipcrs who would flock TO Alabama,
or Me -,lppl, or 1cAa5, ~ field from which 10
s" indie tho cOmnunty Even under the rigid con
dit"ns and constant Inspection Of tho National banks.
such examples The Maverick Eank In Boston am
'he Keystone Bank IN Philadelphia show how difficult
Il ~" control OF such Institutions though even IN these
ms iiif'~ inc currency holders saved by the
visions Of the National Banking Law. The very
object FOR which The proposition placed IA the plat
form would b. lost II al the states w0gd copy and
enforce III" National law and NAV be- sure That
many OF them WOud not TIE Louisiana lottery Ia, al