The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1876-09-21
A "Reformn BIadder Pricked.

means and appliances used III the election Dy
certain parties, unless it should thereafter become
necessary. Events have recently transpired, which
make it necessary in orde: TO expose the cant and
hypocrisy of a would be "Reformer." Mr.. Guthrie,
realizing that he had ineontinently dirtied him
self, has attempted to remedy the matter by
smearing it, not only on his opponents, but over
the whole Republican party. The tactics which
he pursued in this County, he no doubt praeticed
in others; so that the experience of Doniphan
County will serve as an index to the depth of
Guthrie's devotion to reform" When leading
men of the party in this County would not
pledge themselves to his support, he swore that
he would carry the delegates in spite of them.
How he attempted to do it, we shall presently
show; how he succeeded, the result at Abilene
has shown.
These are some of the charges made by Mr..
Guthrie, in his immortal Letter of Withdrawal -
That Phillips and his supporters did not intend
to permit reform, by allowing the best judgment
of the Republican party to control the Conven-
tion; that an army of officials and their retain
ers were brought there by free passes over rail-
road, obtained by Col Phillips; that Phillips
purchased the votes Of delegates, which was con-
trary to the true spirit of Reform; that his sup
port was made up of as manly and true Republi-
cans as can be found within the State; that, de-
string the integrity of the Republican party, and
having no sympathies outside of the party, be
could not do anything that would imperil the
success of the party; and he has charged pri-
vately, and some of his supporters publicly, that
Col. Phillips is a drunkard
Col Phillips did not intend to permit the hon.
est element of the Republican party to secure "re
form!" Guthrie was supported by as true Re-
publican constituency as there is in the State
Phillips brought his supporters to the Conven-
tiou on free passes given by railroad! Here
are the charges. Mr.. Guthrie is the attorney OF
the Atchison and Nebraska Railroad. On the
day Of the primary elections the railroad officials
issued an order to their employees along the
whole line of the road through Doniphan County,
giving them half day to go to the polls and
voted for Guthrie delegates, allowing their pay
to run on the same as if they had remained at
work. Here was q railroad company turning its
aborers loose to carry delegates for Guthrie, and
bribing them to do so with half days pay.
Five out of seven if not nine out of ten, of these
section hands are Democrats; yet, by Mr.. Guth-
rie's procurement, they were turned loose upon
Republican primaries by Railroad corporation,
to costrol them. At Tanning in the First District,
they came up in q Drove but Republican chal-
lenged their votes, upon the ground that they
did not intend to vote the Republican ticket at
the general election. "Sure," said the leader,
1--WE came to vote for Mr.. Guthrie" "Are you
Republicans 7" demanded the challenger. BE
Jasus, no; we're Dimocratsi" "Will you vote
for the Republican candidate for Congress ~
continued the challenger. "If Mr.. Guthrie's
nominated, we will; but if he is not, d-n the
bit of it," was the reply. And this was the sort
of true Republican constituency, the better ele-
ment of the party, that was supporting Guthrie!
This was the honest judgment of the Republican
party crying for reform, that Mr. Phillips friends
did not intend should control the nomination I!
But Phillips was supported by horde of Off
cials. This support was not as dangerous as that
which clustered around Guthrie. Phillips, the
friend of the people and the peoples currency,
was opposed by Guthrie, the Vice-President of a
National Bank, and representative of the mon
ey interest. His delegates were largely made up
of the same material. A bank owner went as a
delegate from Brown County; bank President
from Nemaha; bank officer and one OF more
bank directors from Atchison-in fact, a heavy
draft was made upon Guthrie's bank for dele
gates-and we cannot tell how many other bank
ers from other Counties. If an army of officials
turned out to help Phillips, they at least rescued
the District from the clutches of Wall Street.
But Phillips purchased votes, charges the great
seeker for reform. How many Guthrie purchas-
ed, is not positively known; but it is known that
attempts were made by those in his interest to
buy delegates. A delegate from Atchison, di-
rector in his own Bank, offered Doniphan Coun-
ty Delegate one hundred dollars for his vote,
when he knew he had been elected on square
issue for Phillips; and the same man tried to
buy Norton County delegate. As Guthrie
spent from sl,5OO to s., 500 in the canvass, what
purpose did he apply it to, besides that of "re-
formf"
Col. Phillips it is charged, used whiskey.
Guthrie, of course has nothing to do with the
vile stuff. Only at the primary election at Sew
erance, in this County, Guthrie himself was pres
ent; a saloon was in full blast, running in
Guthre's interest and with his knowledge; and
bill of s4OO was contracted for whiskey to secure
votes for the Guthrie delegates.
Finally, Guthrie has no sympathies outside of
the Republican party, and would do nothing to
impair its integrity or endanger its success
Yet he coquetted q whole week with the Demo-
cratic party, to effect an alliance by which he
hoped to defeat a Republican candidate, whom
he acknowledges, in his letter of withdraw al, to
have been nominated by majority of the dele
gates elected to the Convention. And to day, he
is under personal pledge to the Democratic noni-
inee, to vote for him, against the nominee of the
Republican party!
Did man ever make a more disgusting exhi-
bitiOn of himselfi We think, after. the whole
thing is over, we shall have to join church But
We must be careful not to exasperate such man
and his retainers, or they might refuse to so to
the polls and vote the Republican ticket
HIT HIM AGAIN.-We copy the following ed
itorial and extracts from the Atchison Champion.
If the Champion will only keep it up, it will as
sist the Chief in convincing the public that the
right course is to elect able, competent, dig
nified man to the Judgeship, regardless of poll
ties, in preference to weak, incompetent, vac
illating man. As the people of all parties in the
Topeka District are doing by Judge Morton, the
people of all parties in this District asked to
do by Mr. Otis:
Ir,.rp Noproy O.;,har ,b. ,or tba nar,