Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-04-02

about without their aid and to their sur
prise. Let the conditions be the same
that they were before the enormous dis
coveries of gold during the last few years,
and all legislation for the gold standard
would be helpless Enough of the people
to frequently make a balance of power
associate the party in power with busi-
ness conditions, but there are people who
know better. Among these ought to be
the railroad men.
Then there are other things in politics
and government besides business. The
patriotic business man recognizes this
fact The ignorant, sordid fellow who's
thinks that all legislation. and even forms
of government should be warped to his
ambition for a fortune shouts in exulta-
ton when some politician mounts table
or store box and shouts. Let well
enough alone.
Punish the Guilty.
The Washington Post contains the
following pungent editorial:
Those Republicans in congress who have
seen fit to condone the alleged atrocities
in the Philippines by comparing them
with the work of Grant, Sherman and
Sheridan during the civil war can hardly
be, complimented upon their taste or their
regard for the truths of history. Even il
their proposition had any warrant in fact
the argument would be beneath contempt.
An act of barbarism committed forty
years ago does not excuse inhuman cru
city today. AS well set up the bloody
Duke of Alva as a screen for He'll Roar
| ing Jake Smith to hide behind.
1t is not true, however. that the Union
armies in the south or even QuantrelPs
Confederate guerrillas on the Kansas bor-
der ever praetieed such hideous sayagery
as is charged against certain of our otii-
GERS in the Philippines. The accusations
u f. : T. rrl1
| founded-we hope not-but such as they
are. true or otherwise, they far exceed in
| horror anything ever dreamed of in the
| war of 1S61-65. between the north and
south. Every survivor of that tremendous
| conflict knows that we speak the truth
| herein 1t was a war-a desperate and
| sanguinary war struggle of the Titans-
and death and desolation were its fruits
But it was not a ruthless and barbaric
orgy carnival of ghouls and fiends. To
say it, is to slander the living and the
dead of both sides-the bravest men that
ever fought
Just why congress cannot investigate
1 this affair in judicial and patriotic
| spirit we cannot even distantly imagine
| 1t is not properly a party matter. There
is no anti-American party in this country,
| none that should be willing to seek or to
! accept advantage at the cost of our ma
tional dignity and honor. Such a party
all honest men. What we seek is the
truth We want to know, for the sake Of
cur flag and our humanity. whether these
| appalling crimes have been committed
and if SO at whose instance and respon-
sibility. To make this quest the oppor-
tunity for political campaign material is
simple. unadulterated shame.
Republicans and Democrats should make
common cause in the effort to erase
frightful scandal and to punish the guilty,
if such there be. Party rivalries may
wait upon our common honor.
Contemplated Grand Larceny.
1t is given out that President Roose-
welt feels SO certain of his own nomi-
running mate and has selected Gov
ernor A. B. Cummins of Iowa. The
reason for the governors selection is
more important than the selection it
self He is to be nominated, SO the
story runs. because he stands in popu-
lar estimation for the Iowa idea
which in plain English is the Demo-
cratic idea of tariff reform. CumminS
is to be thrown to the people as the
tariff reform tub to the whale. PreSi-
dent Roosevelt is to be congratulated
on having the wisdom and foresight
to see the approaching storm and to
try to prepare for it. CummiRs is, of
course, playing in great luck. No man
can now refuse vice presidential nom-
ination. The V. P. stands one chance
out of five to become president. The
net result of the whole performance is
that the Republicans propose to steal
bodily the Democratic plank of tariff
reform They are doing this because
they see clearly that the Democratic
idea is growing like ,Ionah's gourd vine.
Whether they can make people believe
they are in earnest remains to be seen.
The New York World is whooping it
up at a great rate for Grover Cleve-
land for president 1t is mad as a
March hare. 1t evidently believes that
people have very short memories. for
no paper in America has abused Mr..
Cleveland more viciously than has the
World The trouble with Mr.. Pulitzer
is that his hated rival, William r.
Hearst, is frequently and favorably
mentioned for the presidency; hence
the green eyed monster is preying on
his yitalS