Year: 1877

A school of politicians has grown up
in this country within the last twenty
years affecting to represent the spirit
of progress which IS popularity believed
10 mark, in peculiar way, the last two
decades of the worlds history. No
greater mistake has ever been made
than TO suppose that the weakening, or
even the entire wiping cut of party
lines il progress, or represents it in any
appreciable degree. When entire party
organizations were made responsible for
the private rs well as public purity of
their leaders and standsrd-bearers-
this was the case under the old whig
and democratic regime-such conduct
as Belknap' s..Boss Shepherds and others
Of the modern school of political prog
ress was unknown. Now, the last six
teen years of republican power has de-
Veloped an amount of public official
corruption sufficient TO sink the party
forever, If only the old standard OF po-
litical morality was IN vogue. The re-
publicars have been able to carry these
heavy loads of black crimes, and throw
them down at will simply because it
has no history to care for, other than
its crime record. IT has no party lines
to stick to, no standard of character TO
force its men up TO when they aspire
to place and power Hence. we find
General Grant entering public life q
penniless adventure, and after twelve
or fifteen years retiring with property
scattered oyer dozen of the states,
and fine horses and fne establishments
everywhere.


A neat calculation of his gross honest
receipts for salary and neat calculation
of his gross expenditures will disclose
the fact that the one account will very
nearly balance the other, or, if any diff
ference exists,it would notwithstanding
the increase of salary one hundred per
cent. during his administration. leave
the advantage 70 expenditure. How
then did he accumulate the handsome
fortune he possesses to-day Where
did the honest monev come from2 No
reply can be made to the question
which would be satisfactory to any con-
siderable number of people in this coun-
try. The inference then, is. alas too
plain. And yet General Grant serves
out his two terms, retires from public
life. and his successor is chosen from
the same party. thus showing that the
people do not, as Of old, charge mp
against the party the delinquencies of
its leaders. All this dangerous laxity is
clearly chargeable to the gradual weak,
ening of party lines The soft wings.
soft democrats, and fag ends of other
political parties have stepped in and
divide the burden OF this shame with
the republicans


Imagine General Jackson, Thomas
Jefferson, James Monroe, George Wash
ington. Franklin Pierce or any of the
earlier democratic presidents growing
rich on the salary Of eight years service
in presidential harness, and vet
Grant not only did frow rich himself
but his relatives of every degree and ia.
vorites of all classes were provided with
opportunities, which none of them have
neglected Ii is said of General Grant
that he was prior TO the war democrat
as his father before him was. If so, here
is another strong illustration of the
danger of weakening the party lines.


No, after all these "reminiscences and
reflections we are brought back to the
conclusion inevitably that no true polit-
ical reform can obtain so long as party
organizations refuse responsibility for
the acts of its individual parts. And
this cannot be unless the lines are so
drawn as to exclude from the party
councils those who come only to betray.
These are old-fashioned political ideas,


but while they obtained in national af.


fairs. the country wss spared the new


fashioned disgrace of seeing its SER


servants lifted from poverty to wealth


by the pickings and stealings of official


position.


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The Statesman wrongfully niistak e.
4