New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-07
TUE FJGHT FOR HONESTY.

THE FJGHT FOR HONESTY.
\.ithor Bunkcr Hill nor Bull Run was de-
font Rcvond one lay Yorktown; beyond Inc
other Appomattox. The intervals III "ach ease
,,.,, ,r,inin., n.rlods The news from Bunker
nm was rs decreasing To- the patriot as that from
Rull Run was to the loyal Union men ot lN"l'
7, ,,h,l.ss o,ch If those events had the sun" cf-
feet. in the time Of them. upon public men whose
conservative tcnperamcntS had led them rather
% hon. for compromiSc than nerve themselves
Cor 6chtin,, that the situation at Albany had
unon Mr. DcDew on Wednesday. rs pithily d'-
scribcd bv himself in Saturdays Irbunr. N'or
having talked with fifty men who's" hands an"
heads control and dominate the legislature ne
SAWS: when got on my ear that hiGh' " WIS
with a heavy heart" He adds with an express
.i..,, If sorrow unite unusual with him for his
,roo, fame rrs;s largely upon bis cheerful
philosophy and constant serenity OF NplTll
Jam sorry To- say it. and wish that '"uiu "'-
Jude myself into some other belief, pu'' aS
.look AT it now. there does not appear I" me 10
abe the slightest chance for SnGl" on" "' NV
..roforn hills 10 pass" This on The face Of II.
seems discoura gng For Mr.. Dcp"w. rs ne MN
self SAYS has been a close observer "l l"H'"'i
conditions for many years and lin the hapi' "i
feeling the political pulse. ana what he says
has weight But II is no surprise 10 us ~ r'i'-
crs of The Tribune can testify. More imam once
The Tribune has pointed ont the possibility. ana
even probability. Of the result which Mr.. D'peW
d.,lorcs Int we have invariably added that this
rogue-riddcn town could better AFFORD I" acc'p'
that result than to frit'er away by compromises
and concessions the victory OF last NoVeihp''
There was a Peace Congress AT WASHINGTON
after the first Republican victory i'll lN"'' ana
there were great men and wise men who's" h''r'S
were heavy at its failure But the gods hau
made mad whom they would destroy, ana me
war went on.
Said General Ben Butler. sitting one evening
ON the deck Of transport steamer I"hs
M 70 the attack on Ncw-Orlcans. ana listen
ing to the discussion Of cOnsituii"nal lu's
tions by The military gentlemen "i MS
staff most Of whom had been Democrats ana
were not quite cured Of il: Make II" mistake
"yentlemcn, These forts and batteries ana those
"punboa,s ND the river mean only one thihG
.yrhis il War, And the sooner you get To uni'r
.c,ond II the better" General Butler was not
model statesman hut he could strip II question OF
einev nrctcxts and get at the core of II with
cre,t CELEBRITY when he undertook II. Ihci" Is no
more mlstaking this situation than there was
,ho, What we see about us hcre-thc irownn%
forts and the masked batteries and the gunboais
nm 1ho rivcr-havo bu, one meaning. That is
Wor-onon fragrant War. Mr.. Plat himself
has made the issue. and made il 80 distinctly ana
snuorelv and with such aggrcSSiVcncSS ana per
sistencv that il cannot be cyadcd. much less
ovo;dod He has made no conccalmcnt of his
,,,rnose That is 10 compel 15i.OW honest
q t1,i
liycrcd out of The hands Of Il corrupt police sys-
tom and ! bad lot of Police Justices. 10 make
terms with him as the fountain Of power ana
authority in the Republican party for whatever
measure Of relief he may sec fiji TO give Them
For considerable time this purpose was tlinly
yelled. But 1t WAS pursued with no less deter
mipa,ion. and with constant increasing pressure.
II is within the last few weeks that, anScred by
,he steady resistance Of Mayor Strong and Gov
crnor Morton he has through his newspapers
and his Neutcnants. delivered public proclama-
,ion of war against the voters Of this town. who
ask for nothing at his hands or the hands of the
Republican Legislature except TO fulfil The prom
jse made to them 10y the Republican party He
saws it shall not He probably knows. Bui
these voters can afford TO wait.
Meantime The Tribune. with all It's admira-
,,on and esteem for Mr. Dcpcyt. is forced to take
issue with him on his statement that this Is
fractional fight, in which he does not care 10
"comc out and take sides" This Is not Il fight
of factions 1t is Il fight for the honor, the III
,ccrity the good faith Of the Republican party.
There Is no neutral ground that any public man,
or any good citizen even, can afford 10 occupy.
1t is not fractional or personal, but fair stand
I'D fight between the uphoders of Il system Of
msgovernmcnI, which all men know to be thor
| oughly corrupt and dcpraved. and the honest
| citizens whom ii Expresses. Mr.. Dcpcw is cor
| rect when he SAYS 'thc people are largely 10
blame for this state Of things. because they have
paid SO little attention to city issues. True they
have been TO blame: but now that they are thor
! ourhly reused and in earnest. what shall be said
| of those who stand aloof from the struggle and
| with heavy hearts dcprccac the disturbance as
| fractional quarrel: There has not been since
| 1861 a political contest which appealed to the
| instinct of patriotism. the sense Of personal
honor and nprightncss. and all the high qualities
| that make good citizens; never struggle which
| so called for the courageous. virilc enthusiastic
| sllplort Of the leaders Of public opinion, whose
| uttcranccs command attention ana whose nfiu-
| cnce is felt And now. why shall not saw
what rises to cycryboGys lips! There's place
| I'm this Highland Il great place, ,oo-for that
| Man of the People, Chaunccy NJ Dcpew. The
! Tribune calls upon him 10 take it. Not as poll
| tician-for he says h. Is out Of pOlitics-but as
| a Republican who believes in his party's honesty
and good faith; as 4 citizen who sincerely de