New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-20

We Weld to no one in our admiration Tor
the many excellences of our spnghtly contem-
porary, "Thc NewYorlI Sun" It's crisp and
pmgent paragraphs, the grace OF ats dlctlon'
the captivating smoothness of It's style, the
affluence of scholarship and wealth OF classic
learning that adorn its columns. are a constant
delight to u.s. No journal has fuller treasury
of ripe experience, wide observation and thor
OUCH familiarity with public affairs and public
men upon which to draw for the instruction
and entertainment of It's readers. But It's
chief charm is the subtle satire OF its utter
ances on current political questions and the
cynicism-not by any means l-natured-whch
the intelligent reader detects between the lines
of its comments upon men at the head OF al
fairs. their policies and their methods. The
cleyerness with which in the last Presidential
campaign il pushed into the background all
tbe issues which the Mugwump contingent had
howled conspicuous, with the Presidential can
didate accompanying them, and then thrust
before the country with iteration and retera-
ton subordinate and comparatively unlmpor-
tant question. compelling its party to accept Its
leadership and adopt its slogan, amounted to
genius. We have lingering suspicion that the
satire was too subtle-that it was overdone-
and that ''The Sum- itself was surprised and
perhaps disappointed at the result.
Consistency seems to require that 1.-The sun
should keep up its foong, and insist that.
whereas the country followed its lead and elect
ed Democratic Congress through fear that
the Republicans if successful might pass an
| odious and oppressive Election bill, Congress
should now make it its first business to repeal
the Election laws on the statute books which
constitute the only safeguard for an honest
ballot in Presidential and Congressional cleo
tons SO we find it saying in Tuesdays issue
that it regrets " to find a usually conservative
and thoughtful journal like TIE TRIBUNE pre-
fer-ing bayOnets at the polls TO the prosperity
of the county," and reminding us that "thC
Democratic party is responsible for legisla
ton. and assumes that responsibility, 1t is
hardly necessary TO say that under the opera
ton of the present laws there is no more dan
ger Of bayonets at the polls" than there is OF
the Colorado Governors riding in blood to tho
horses brides That is simply rdicul, MS
| We repeat that under the operation Of these
laws no honest man has ever been deprived oil
his vote, nor has any hardship been incurred
more than accompanies the enforcement of any
law through the ordinary accidents and mis-
takes Of administration.
DO we need remind the Editor Of The Sun
that the same party which is responsible foi
| legislation, and assumes that responsibility
was responsible, and assumed the responsible
ity, in 1854 and the years following, wher
without any check upon it it undertook tt
carry out the will OF its leaders by overriding
the people Of Kansas and making farce o.
honest elections? That all the provisions fol
enforcing the existing laws were taken almost
word for word from the Fugitive Slave law
passed by the party now so clamor0us for re-
peal? 20 we need name the great Journalist
who so ably seconded Mr.. Greeley in the man
agement of TIE TRIBUNE from 1854 TO 1860
when this Journal thrilled the heart and awall
cned The patriotism OF all the North by it,
protests against the crime which a Democratic
Administration was committing against honest
elections and the liberties Of the people? Dc
we need rccite the story of the frauds nj the
ballot box in this city, Investigated and exposed
from 1860 down to the fall Of the Tweed Rims
all of them perpetratcd by the party which
now demands the repeal Of the only laws that
stand between it and the resumption Of it.
criminal career? Does "The sun" remember
SAYING in 1870 that Tammany Hall was great
C nspiracy and that this monstrous conspirac;
must be taken by the throat or 1t will crush
mt our popular liberties"? Or, in later times
docs it remember what became OF the votes fol
General Butler. It's own candidate for Presi
dent in 1884, and what party 1t was that
manipulated them into nothingnesS?
No. no. Brother Dana. TIE TRIBUNE doe,
not prefer bayonots at the polls to the pros
pe,ity of the country But it docs prefer