A Criminal Newspaper

New York, 1895

Honest Republican Criticism of a Debauched Journal.

The Jamaica Standard denounces the Herald for heartily supporting the Republican members of the board of Supervisors in every effort made by them to wisely and economically administer the county government. We plead guilty to the offence. The Herald is for good government first, last and all the time. Unscrupulous leaders shall not do the Republican party in this county a lasting injury if the Herald can prevent them. This policy, we know, is not the policy of the Standard; nor is it the policy that would have the approval of the Hon. William J. Youngs or Assemblyman Vacheron, but it is the policy of loyalty to the Republican party and to the people who placed that party in power last fall, relying upon the promises of the leaders that under Republican rule this county would enjoy better government than it had ever known before.

If the Standard had denounced the vicious character of the Commissioner of Jurors bill and informed the people that it was created simply for the purpose of making a high-salaried office for Assemblyman Vacheron, then the Standard would have done both the people and its party a great service for which it would have deserved the respect and confidence of its readers. But the Standard did not dare to come out and squarely endorse a measure, which was so unpopular with the taxpayers throughout the county, but it published an article, the apparent purpose of which was to disarm suspicion, if possible, and make the devil appear less black than he was painted.

If a Republican Assemblyman or Senator introduces a bad bill in the Legislature he ought to be promptly called to account. This is what the Herald has done and the Standard has utterly failed to do. It has tried in every way to shield William J. Youngs and Assemblyman Vacheron and to keep its readers in ignorance of their conduct at Albany.

The Standard exclaims fervently:

"Now is the time to face the situation." Indeed it is time, but we fear that instead of having the moral courage "to face the situation" our contemporary will evade it, as it has all along, for the purpose of misleading the people, and saving William J. Youngs and Assemblyman Vacheron from that condemnation which they so richly deserve. — Long Island City Herald, Republican.

—Reprinted in The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, May 10, 1895, p. 8.