The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-07-02


There Is NO intellectual trait which the
genuine Yankee "a keenly appreciates =
''cutenessn or smartness. In England the
word which comes nearest TO expressing
the idea is 'clever, term used In Amer
ica to express the opposite idea Of good
natured stupidity. II man il only
"cute," he win be forgiven multitude of
sins. He has pocketful of 'indulgences"
and signed pardons, which he can fill out
at pleasure. But the supply, however
large, is not inexhaustible, and the man
who puts his whole trust in them has
short race to run, for the Yankee has an
ingrained hatred Of all shams. Mental
alertness may be all-powerful for time,
but when perverted to base uses, it is sure
to bring retribution.
General Ben F. Butler is the most con-
spicuous example of smart" politician
the country has ever produced. He has
some wonderful traits of. character. His
powers in certain directions are prodigious.
Before the war he had acquired as HAT
cEet Butler" the professional reputation
of being good man to manage bad case.
1t was supposed that he would work hard
er to clear the guilty than the innocent.
The term 'hatchet" was not applied to
him, as one might suppose, in ironical
allusion to George Washington's garden
exploit, but because of the vandalism of
his temper. The war gave him a chance
to win applause. Despised before, he be-
came, at one time, one of the most popu-
lar men in the country. Although fail
ure upon the field, he ruled New Orleans
SO well, did SO much to improve the
sanitary condition of the city, and other
wise made himself SO enviably con-
spicuous that, had he died then, he would
have been canonized as a patriot cut off
in the flourish Of . career. But, unfortu-
nately for his good name and for the ma
ton, he lived to 60 to Congress and dab
BILE extensively in the dispensing Of Of
fetal patronage. The Congressional dis
trict in which he lived would not trust
him, but another district, largely made up
of fishermen, thought it an honor to have
SO smart man for their Representative
His ambition was to become the leader
Of the House, then Governor of State, and
after that United States Senator, or, better
still, President of the United States. His
reliance has been upon trickery, terrorism,
bricery, blackguardism, and all the lower
weapons of political warfare. At every
turn he has been baffled. No member of
Congress ever attempted SO much and &C.
complished SO little. He employed a
corps of spies to help him hunt down his
enemies, and at last he has sunk SO low
that even his codfishers have wearied of
him, and, according to all accounts, his
public career is nearly at an end. Smart
ing under the consciousness of failure, he
essayed Friday night to be avenged upon
the Ways and Means Committee Of Con-
gress, which, by exposing the Sanborn in
fanny, drove the last nail in the Butler
coffin. 1t Is venom without wit, slime
without sparkle. No one was harmed ex-
cept the harmer. He forget, but verified
the adage. He who spits against the
wind splits in his own face"
It is to be hoped that ambitions young
politicians will note the disasters Of But
ler and profit by his example. Principle
is Necessary ingredient in the character
of any man who reaches great and endur-
ing success in poi;...ics With all its chi
canery and meanness, politics has q
substratum of honesty Thee is limit
to the gullibility and endurance " the
people. The public man who is repulsive
to the better nature, is sure to have a
short and inglorious career, however
smart he may be.-Chicago Journal.