Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-08-18
THE solAED CANDIDATE.

exposure OF the Credit Mobiler infa.
my, The principal stockholders of the
Pacific railroad made bargain with
themselves, incorporated as the Credit
Mobilier, Tor the construction OF a
large portion of that line Of railway.
The prices agreed upon were such as
to afford an immense profit, not less
than s3O,O0O,OOO, to be paid by the
productive industry OF our people.
These corrupt mon, having duly ex-
ecuted this swindllng, contract, de.
scended on the National Capitol, and
through the agency of their leading
spirit, Oakes Ames, of Massachusetts,
began placing Credit Mobilier stock
where IL would the most good. In
other words, they began the infamous
work of bribing Members of Congress
by making them partners in the $780,
900, 900 swindle. The obvious purpose
of this was 10 prevent legislation
against the interests OF the robbers,
and to secure the passage of such acts
as would facilitate the work Of the
robbery
When the facts became known TO
the country, when the true character
of the Credit Mobilier was exposed,
when il was shown that the names of
many Senators and Members were
entered in the Oakes Ames memoran-
dun book as having taken the bribes
he offered, there was tidal wave Of
popular indignation such as no pre-.
vious exposure of corruption in Con.
gress had ever set in motion.
And not only were the people indig-
nant, but they were alarmed, and they
had good reason TO be, lfsuch game
as that could succeed if a gigantic
corporation, the creature of Congress,
could be swindlod by the men in con.
troll Of its affairs, and if the profits of
such proposed swindling could be sue
cessiully employed in bribing Congress
to afford facilities for such rascality-
II all this deep and damnable plot
could be carried on and carried out
with impunity, the people felt that we
had como the end of our experiment
in selfgovernment; that our system
must be branded as a failure and other
means devised for the regulation of so.
ciety and the protection OF its mem.
bers in the enjoyment of their rights.
1t is not too much to say that, had the
entire plot of Oakes Ames and his as
sociates been carried ont, free govern.
ment would have received a blow more
fatal than any that has ever been in.
hicted.
Some of the Congressman who were
incAaceably stained by Credit Mobilier
were driven into permanent retire.
ment. One of them, and the best Of
the lot died broken.hearted, hunted
to his premature grave by unavailing
shame, Around them all fingers, and
will forever linger, the aroma of that
great scandal. To the name of each
and all who were thus soiled adheres
a permanent disgrace, and when such
names are mentioned the first thought
of those who hear il is "He was mix.
ed up with the Credit Mobilier inia
my" Time has not soitened public
Judgment as to the nature Of the act
No amount of argument can palliatC
or excuse it. IL was n shameful be
trayal of the most important public
trust. 1t was most culpable infdelity
to the highest public duty. If We
would not encourage a repetition o.
such criminal work we must let these
convicted bribe. takers feel, ut all times
and under all circumstances, that theil
ofFense was simply infamous.
But the Republican party, in Ma
tional Convention assembled, has in
suited the moral sense Of the Ameri
can people by placing at the head o
its ticket one of the men who was con
victed, by a Republican Committee o
a Republican Congress, of having
agreed TO take ten shares of Credi
Mobilier stock--to be carried by
Ames-and Of having received 1929
as a dividend thereon. This is one o
the facts in the record Ct Mr.. Garfield
An ugly, hideous fact for Presiden
tial candidate TO face. And the maj
who believes that a candidate will
such record can be elected to tn,
Presidency shows his utter lack o
faith in the honesty and intelligence
of the American people. Whatever
else may be done in this Presidential
year, it is morally certain that no here
of the Credit Mobilier scandal will b.
elepted IN tho chiaf nlace of hnnor