The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-15

| Our usually rea sonnble contemporary. the
Ne,c York Tribune ought to be ashamed Of
its attempt to turn to partisan account the
deplorable calamity at Washington last
| Friday. The political use OF that acct
dent which the Tribune is trying to make. is
| thoroughly dlscreditable. 1t Is unworthy
| Of n sane and responsible journal OF high
| moral character.
Immediately after the collapse OF part Of
FoRD's old theatre. the Tribune began to
Shrek Murder! and to say that the victims
OF the disaster were slaughtered by those
Congressman who have insisted on n strict
scrutiny OF Government appropriations
and economy in the administration OF pub
lie affairs. From day to day our neighbor
has gone from worse to worse. Ycstcr-
day 1t emitted this hysterical accusation:
THE search at Washington for tho responsible cause
OF the cas.nity by which many we're killed mni;ned
Is in ons stnse entirely unnecessary lioimansm
sauehtered the victims. They were murdered or GRIP
pied by that indecent spirit OF nggardness which has
been so long fosered for selfish partisan ends by
some demagognes. Adequate appropriations for the
public service would have resulted long In safer
and better quarters than those which have beon
often condemned. and which the unhappy clerks had
come to regard with constant dread This Is SO obN
Gus that seems to say It, and yet for the
sake OF the lesson which 1t teaches tho nature
cause OF the disaster should not be lightly passed 1t
was not an accident. 1t was slaughter by the dema
goRues who seek TO themselves and their party
by shouting economy all UNIT occasions and shrek
ing about tho Billion Dollar ConyresA'"
How about that same Billion Congress
From March 4. 1889. to March 4. 1891, tho
control OF appropriations and expendi-
lures was wholly in Republican hands. A
party that was never troubled by consd-
erations Of economy and frugality held tho
House. tho Senate. and the Executive.
Certainly the 7ribnne's party during that
period was not restrained by any such pol
icy OF strict watchfuness and care in the
matter Of expenditure as that which tho
Tribune. with cruel injustice, pretends to
hold accountable for tho loss Of life last
week. Neither Mr.. HOLMAN nor any other
Democrat was in position to block sin
gle legitimate appropriation which the Re-
publican majority in the Fifty-first Con-
gress desired to make.
What measures did the Republican Con-
gress adopt when III power to investigate
the condition OF the Fords Theatre build
ing, or to provide other and safer quarters
for the Government clerks therein en-
ployed2 We ask the Tribune to answer this
iuOcIioh uCIoAS luScHodIc uc-
nunciations OF what it calls Holmanism"
as the murderer OF the Washington victims.
If there is blood ON the record Of the Demo-
cratic Committee on Appropriations In the
Fiftieth Congress. or in the Fifty-second.
how about the record OF the Republican |
Committee on Appropriations in the Fifty
first Congress II Holmanism" is to |
blame. what about "Rccdism." which for |
two years squandcred in thousand ex-
traYagant or dishonest ways the money
that. properly applied. might have saved
the lives OF these men?
The answer to these questions will ex-
hibiti in all Of its violence. injustice. and in
decency the Trib,mea course respecting the
disaster in Washington last Friday. Pos
sibly before our ncighbor has answered
these questions it will have become
of itself and silent on the subject.