The Indianapolis journal., 1904-04-27

in this contest we are vitally right and they
are essentially wrong.
Will the issue be the much-vaunted post
Office scandal? If so We are ready Tor the
contest. 1t might well be concluded that
such was the purpose of a party hard
Wage the .o impendinr % confiict upi But is there
one grain OF comfort in 1t for this purpose
less party?
Is the President to be condemned? Upon
the first whisperings OF fraud in that de-
partment he at once ordered an investiga-
ton. and the language of his instant COM
mand was: Let no guilty man escape"
What was the result? An investigation
under the order of the chief executive, by
direction of the postmaster general. con-
Quoted by the fourth assistant postmaster
| general, the head of one of the great di-
visions of that department. investiga-
ton at once so rigorous, so searching, so
thorough that every Democrat in Congress
approved, and every Republican in Con-
gress applauded its sweeping results an
| investigation that unearthed every fraud
| and brought to the light of day every
crime an investigation that led to the
indictment, trial and conviction of every
guilty man.
Is the Republican party to be censured?
| condemn party that concealed fraud and
| secreted crime, but ii will scarcely punish
1t open to the light and that apprehends
and convicts every man engaged in 1t. Is
the party to blame because some men in Of
| flee disappoint expectation and prove
L
| charge that because a bank cashier alb
seconds with the funds it is stain on the
character of the directory, or that because
clerk in a store runs away at night with
! the cash receipts of the day it is a blot
upon. the reputation of the merchant that
employed him.
| unfortunately dishonest men will get into
office, but the party in power is in no wise
to blame unless 1T shields them in their dis
| honesty. When we reflect upon the facts
that some of the men convicted were Demo-
Gratis and some Republicans. that some
| were under civil-service and some were not
and that the party in power vigorously in
| vestigated, relentlessly pursued and merci-
| lessly punished every guilty man. certain
| ly there can be no condemnation Of its con-
| duct
Why, then, all this talk? Why all these
| vague and misty charges? The cause is not
far to seek. The Democratic party had to
| have an issue, and. having nothing else at
hand and no other one appearing on the
horizon, it sought to manufacture one--to
force one-out of this affair
| The managers of that party wanted a
committee appointed, consisting of seven
Republican and five of their own men. to
investigate the entire department. Why?
in that department. No Democrat in the
six months session has risen in his place
| and charged that any at any time
| committed any crime. There is no claim
that the Bristow investigation was not
complete, and have here the anomaly
presented of a party proposing to investi-
| gate an lnVeStlgallOn winch It's own lead
ers applauded and approved.
Why, then, this demand? Simply because
those five Democrats thus selected would
prov an adjunct to the Democratic cam
paign committee They would continue
their Investigations during the entire cam
paign; they would fill the yellow press of
the country-ever anxious for sensation.
for scandal-with inuendo, with insinua-
ton, with covert charges, with clouded an
nouncements, made from time to time as
the exigencies of the campaign demanded.
q. IL It'd
with the idea that the entire management
of the party was corrupt was venal, was
mercenary. and all without grain of truth
at the bottom particle of foundation In
fact. In other words. the whole thing was
a campaign dodge, political trick, and the
Republicans In Congress did not intend that
that sort of campaign should be waged this
year. And 1 confidently predict that after
the election no Democrat will be found who
has the temerity TO raise his voice in favor
of an investigation of that any other
department of the government
The Tariff.
Is the issue to be the tariff? If so, we
are prepared to meet it at every point. The
Democrats in this campaign will vigorously
assail the tariff From beginning to END
they will denounce it. They will proclaim
Ii as the mother of trusts. They will
charge that it unjustly dscriminates as
against it's own citizens; that it builds III
the few at the expense of the many; that II
exempts the pampered plutocrat from hi.
just share of taxation and lays unusua
burdens upon the already overworked back:
of the poor and that it raises the price o
the necessities of life without any addi
tional compensation in wage or salary.
is so easy to denounce. 1t is so easy to teal
down. 1t is so Democratic to point out flaws
TO fiaunt errors, 10 hold up mistakes [,
''view with alarm But will any Demo
! crat be so bold to state the position o
his party on this problem? Ah that is al
entirely different question. But the peopl
have a right 10 know. Before they agre
TO intrust the Democracy with power the,
have a right TO know what that party vii
do; will do on this and every other ques
tion. Before they consent to the abolition
of the tariff they have a right TO know
what is going to be substituted for it, wha
the Democrats propose to- put in its place
Our position is well defined and need no
here be discussed, but what do they pro
pose? John Sharpe Williams, the leader o
? the minority in the House of Representa-
I tives, and whom l believe 10 be in many re
4 spects the most astute and resourcefu
: Democrat in Congress, recently asserted i
debate, first. that neither he nor any 9th
= er man in this country is or can be "A free
D trader" Secondly. that he not in favo
G | of a tariff for revenue as proposed by tn
al Democrats in their national platforms 1
e IS and 90. Such a tariff would necessa ril
e be laid upon all those products coming int
our country from abroad the like OF whic
c We do not produce in our own land, becaus
o | such tariff Is tax, Is paid by the con
r I sumer. protects and is laid for IN
sole purpose of collecting revenue But MI
. Williams boldly asserted that IL give
I | power, he would continue for indefnit
/ time 10 levy tariff on all competing prod
b ucts. which must or necessity, al least inc