New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-02
~ AUCTION IN CONNECTICUT

ELECTION |" said disguised New-Hamp-
! shire Democrat, in answer TO an inquiry pro-
pounded to him q day or two after the late
contest iii that State had closed, there
"wasnt any election; it was an auction"
And it must be confessed there were great
many things in the canvass that led up to that
conclusion with great force. In Ncw-liamp-
shire the Democrats were unsuccessful bid
dcrs. They came out of the little struggle very
naturally with profound disgust for auc-
tons. They are feeling differently about auc-
tons just now in Connecticut. There's red
flag flying over Senator's seat, and nobody
but Democrats interested in the sale. Auction
Ger, bidders, and owners of the stock are all
Democrats, and no one belonging to the rival
shop will be allowed to take part IN
the proceedings. The flag flies famOusy
The sale is open and uncOncealed. and no
one pretcnds that there is anything but an
auction intended. 1t is simple issue OF
money: nothing more nor less. There's the
seat in the Senate to be filled by "A Democratic
Legislature. Mr.. English, wealthy and am
bilious, and now occupying it under an Execu-
tive appointment wishes to keep it, Mr.. Bar
nun, wealthy and ambitious likewise, and now
occupying a seat in the House-occasionally-
also desires it. Both are bidding for che
place. The question which the Legislature
will decide within 2 fc:.. days not which OF
these two men will most credtably and faith
fully represent the State in the United States
Senate, and it is very far from being whether
either one of them is the best man the party
can furnish for the place. 1t Is simply which
of these two has done and will do the more
for the party that is, in palmer language,
which has paid and will pay tho more money
for election purposes That is the question:,
and the only one which will be discussed by
the Democrats in tho Legislature and the
LOBBYISTS who labor with them it is the only
point that has been raised thus far Even the
Democratic newspapers, which do not dare
go into a public discussion of this question,
have not the assurance to talk seriously about
the claims of either of the bidders on the
score of fitness capacity.
Messrs. English and Barnum have been
MANY years in public life. Each has the repu-
taion of having spent large sums OF money i'll
politcs-much larger than could be used for
the necessary expenses or for legitimate pur-
poses When Mr.. English has been candidate
for Governor, or Mr.. Barnum for Congress,
money has flowed freely. If the money OF
each of these statesmen has not been used to
buv votes and corrupt the ballot, then both
have been grossly beled and public opinion
has done them both seriou, injustice. Were the
reports which have circulated 80 freely with
regard to this matter traceabe only to the op-
po,it,on. or were they denied by the Demo-
Gratis themselves, we might think injustice had
a, f,n hon LODI nf IL
matter Of public notorioty, and talked about
by none with more franbness than by the
Democratic committeeman and caucus man
ayers who have made the disbursements.
Both are capitalists. Both are willing to pay
for political position. They are neither OF
them statesmen. The warmest admiter OF
either will not make such a claim But here
is great party the reason for whose being Is
that there are Offices TO be had the prctext on
which il exists that it wants wise legislation,
honest administration, and good government.
II has come into power in the State
upon the prctcxt, and BOW, with an
auctionable office at lta disp0sal, IL
drops the pretext and reverts to the real rea-
son. so with Mcssrs. English and Barnum at
the front, the party auctionccr says: There
arc Offices in store; TO get them we need
"yotes: to get votes we must have money.
"Now, then, gentlemen, who bidsT No talk
now. YOU observe, about wise legislation, hon
est administration, and good government none
about ability and fitness; none about any one
of the score and more of prominent men in
the party who would honor the State in the
Senate; nothing but as bald question of
money "a ever entered into horse trade. 1t
is claimed in Mr. Engisl's behalf that he put
his money into the canvass and secured the
Democratic majority in the Legislature upon
a tacit understanding that he should have the
Senatorship. Mr.. Barnum says that he did
the same thing two years ago and that Mr.
Eaton got Vhe prize and he thinks 1t IS his
turn now. Moreover, it is claimed Tor nm
that he always pays literally toward election
EXPENSES, whether he is candidate or not
while Mr.. Englisli's large disbursements are
only made when hs has a personal interest In
the result.
So there the business hangs and the red
flag flies. "Going! Going Who offers most
"for a Senator'S seat ~ DO the Demo-
cratic managers IN Connecticut think they
can afford this scandal in open markctf Or
are they willing to throw away their chances
and make the State over to the opposition in
| November 1t is now believed that Mr.. Bar
mum has secured the nomination beyond ques-
ton, and that he will have a handsome major
! itv ON the first ballot in the caucus. But are
there not enough honest Democratic represen-
tatiyes in the Legislature to refuse to be sold
in this shameless way, and so defeat the scheme
Doubtless the Republicans would willingly
unite with sufficient number OK Democrats
to elect Gov. Ingersol, David A. Wells, or