Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-05-05

The seventh section repeats con-
flicting laws Chicago Railroad
Gazette. ~ ~
Can Patronage Control the State
Iowa?
In view of the many attempts On
the part of Senator Harlan OF this
State to control the Federal patron
age Of this State, the Cedar Raids
Observer says that number Of its
State EXCHANGES are wrestling with
the conundrum: "Does Harlan be-
long to the republican party of the
State of Iowa, or does the Republi-
can party of Iowa belong to Har
lan?"
Senator Harlan has been for
sixteen wears in public life, most of
that time III the honored position Of
a Senator of the United States, and
the remainder of the time as a
cabinet adviser of the President Of
the nation. In these positions, and
during this time, he surely should
have made record for personal
and official honesty, for faithtulness
to principle, for intellectual power,
and for political foresight, in which
he could trust, and upon which he
could fully depend, to insure him
the support of the Republican party
Of this State in any contest for fur
Their honors at its hands. 1t would
seem as if he ought to be able to
say to the people and to the party
that has done so generously by him,
that, grateful for the honors which
they had already conferred, and
willing further to serve them, he
could only, and would only, point
them to the results of his steward
ship. If these did not prove him
honest and faithful, and worthy of
further confidence, than he was
ready to make room for others. If
his craftsmanship could not meet
endorsement, he scorned to secure
that endorsement by any Of the arts
of the demagogue. This, it seems
to us, Mr.. Harlan ought to have
been in a position to say, and to
have had the dignity Of character
to declare, and the self-respect to
maintain.
But we are sorrow to be COM
PEELED to believe that Mr.. Harlan is
not content to take this position,
and not even content to use the
usual and unobiectionable methods
Of personal appeals to his friends.
We are sorry to be forced to be-
lieve that he has insisted upon put
ting himself in the attitude Of the
dispenser of the Federal patronage
of the State, and has claimed, and
insisted upon, control over petty
offices in the various districts that
heretofore the obligations of cour-
tesy in the delegation, and the COM
mon custom of the executive depart
ments, have accorded to the vari-
Gus Congressman. One member
finds men appointed against his
will, and is coolly told that the pa
tronage Of his district is only to be
intcrfered with for a short time.
Another finds from the record of the
Post Office Department that Mr..
Harlan has requested to be fur
nishcd with list of the names of
all the postmasters in the members
district, whose commissions are
about expiring. Another finds at
tempts to thwart him in the removal
Of one officer and afterwards in the
confirmation Of another, against
whose character no word of com
plant can be made. Fear of re-
moval is sown in the minds of other
officials in order to give the i'm
preston that there is a Senatorial
influence maintaining them in place.
And rarely is there an official to be
found in the State Of so little i'm
portance that n Senatorial letter has
not been sent him inquiring if there
is any service that can be done for
him at Washington.
Such is the present peculiar fea-
turc Of the Senatorial campaign on
the part of Mr.. Harlan, as We hear
it from all quarters Ct the State.
Mr.. Harlan evidently believes that
he can carry the Pennsylvania tactics
Of his friend Cameron into the purcr
political region Of Iowa, and win
BY them. But we believe that he is
making a grand mistake. The Re-
publicans of Iowa are not to be con
trollcd by the disposition of few
postoffces, even if Mr.. Harlan were
potent enough to manipulate these
officers at will. But he has no such
power, as is evident from the results
thus far made public of his several
trials. President Grant has said,
and has shown, that he has no in
tention Of subordinating the usual
privileges Of his party friends in
the lower House to the interests or
preiudices or desires of a Senator.
mere are IlcH III 1oWd WHO nav =
been better friends to Gen. Grant
than Mr.. Harlan-men who did not
denounce him in adversely and fawn
upon him in prosperty-and there
is abundant evidence that the Presi-
dent realizes tho fact. There arc
men of moro influence in tho Senate
too, than Mr.. Harlan, as is evident
from tho fact that Senator Wright,
a new Senator, with but u few weeks
acquaintance among his fellow
members, during which time he had
felt inclined to differ with the ma
jority of his party on several points,
was yet able to carry confirmation
in which he felt no present interest,
and had no PERSONAL feeling, over
tho determined opposition of Mr..
Harlan. We believe, therefore,
that Mr.. Harlan cannot become the
great dispenser Of federal patron
age iii this State, however much he
may desire to be, and we are very
sure that even if he did tho ltepub-
licans of Iowa arc to be guided in
the important task Of selecting a
United States Senator by higher