The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-10-29
REFORM IN PROFESSION VI. REFORM
IN PRACTICE.

be party Of Reform, able within
itself to correct the abuses against
which the country is crying and to
purify politics of the rank corruption
which has made our civil service, in
many places, burning shame. This
is the kind of party it should be, and
the kind it must be if it expects to
retain its present ascendancy. In
these days when there are no great
national issues to divide parties, this
one point is the strength Of the Re-
publican organization. But the peo-
pie demand that the practices of the
party shall not fall too far short of its
professions. They demand that the
party leaders shall not cry Reform"
and at the same time put in nomina-
ton for the Legislature a man who
has proved himself and been proved
unworthy Of trust and confidence.
1t is an insult to the intelligence
and self:respect of Republicans to ask
them to support Charles A. Gilman
for Representative. 1t is asking
them to stultify themselves and to g;vea
lie to the first canon Of their politi-
cal creed. 1t is notorious all through
the State that Mr.. Gilman has proved
unfaithful to the Republican party
and to his trust as public servant,
and his election would be to blazon
the fact abroad that the Republicans
of the First District of Stearns coun-
ty have abandoned those higher
principles which demand moral
honesty on the part of the men chosen
to represent them. 1t is matter of
public record that, having been re-
moved fonn the St. Cloud Land Of
fee in 1865, Mr.. Gilman, in 1866, de-
serted the Republican party when it
stood in the severest need of every
friend, and went over to the Demo-
cratic party, supporting Andy John
son and the Democratic nominee for
Congress in this District that in
1866 he was paid the price of this
political treachery, the coveted Land
Office position that the next year he
was ousted by the Republican United
States Senate; that securing an elec-
ton to the State Senate he bartered
his vote for United States Senator for
the persistently-sought place in the
Land Office; and that he remained
in this Office, growing wealthy him
self and making wealthy his little
circle of political and business asso-
ciates, by peculiar use Of his official
opportunities, until October, 1871,
when he "resigned." An article in
another column shows just why Mr..
Gilman resigned" A Commission
appointed by the Government to ex-
anime into the halfbreed scrip frauds
in this State made a thorough and
searching examination and with their
report, embodying the facts thus OBJ
tanned, made q recommendation: that
Mr.. Gilman be removed from the
Registership because Of corruption
in Office. Mr.. Gilman was given an
opportunity to resign. He went per-
sonally to Washington, but was una
bic to make any explanation which
was acceptable to the Interior Depart
ment, and thereupon resigned. The
report of this Commission was made
in September, 1871, and Mr.. Gil
mans resignation was accepted in
October, 1871-showing that the
Government considered the public
interests to demand not only change
but an immediate change.
In tho face of this record and of
these facts, is it not, We repeat, an in
suit to honest and intelligent Republi-
cans to ask them to support Mr.. Gil
man? His election will be claimed,
and be rightfully claimed, as an en-
dorsement of his past course-of his
party treachery and his official NAL
teasance. Are Republicans ready to
do this! When an unfit man
presents himself as an aspirant
for an important public office,
the duty of all honest men is to
defeat him. A thousand nom
nations should bind no man,
who holds himself amenable to his
own conscience, to support a candi-
date who has proved himself unworthy
Of trust and confidence.
For the reasons stated dispassion-
ately above, and for many others of
the same nature, The JOURNAL has
felt it to be its duty to oppose the elec-
ton Of Mr.. Gilman, and to support
Mr.. Barnes.