The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-09-04

From the New \ Ork independent, July ~ 1874.
There is now no absorbing question of state.
craft before the people. The great question of
the last generation is settled. If we may ex.
cept the problem how and when we shall re.
place our deprecated currency by genuine
money there Is nothing but mere admins ira.
ton TO be attended TO. What the next con-
gress has to do Is to keep things agong as
quietly, frugally and honestly as possible 1t
might not have been the banner which would
have tuttercd most gayly in the breeze, but if
the republican party had at its last presiden-
tal convention confined itself to the promise
to administer government we'll and then bent
its energies manly to this task we believe II
would have stood better with the people to-
day.
The man point then to be considered by
those who select congressional candidates is
this: Who will administer the government
best-that Is, most honestly and most lntell-
gently? And of those two qualifications hon
esty is even more essential than intelligence
Let electors get an intelligent representative,
If they can find him; but they must find an
honest man. If their representative IN the
last congress is not tainted by the suspicion of
jobbery, if he has kept his hands clean, if he
has not been getting rich IN Washlngton-and
no honest man can get rich us a congressman,
any more than he could as a soldier in the re
belllon--let his constituents be very slow to
replace HIM by new man
STERLING INTEGRITY REQUIRED
But the most sterling moral integrity should
be required Let electors look very sharply
at charges which affect the purity Of the ser
wants. An honest man Will not shrink from
the most thorough scrutiny Of his official acts.
Let Us take an example. The Nineteenth
congressional district of Ohio has been repre-
scented for twelve years by James A. Garfield.
He is one of the ablest and most promising
members of congress He Is "A man Of uHcom.
mon culture, a graduate Of an Eastern college,
was for some time principal of an excellent
school in Ohio and preacher, we believe, in
the denomination which supported 1t, and af.
forwards lawyer He has risen rapidly in
congress, until he occupies the craftsmanship
of the committee which is second in import
ance in the house, and, If elected, will doubt
less next winter be the recognized leader of
the lower branch of congress, taking the place
vacated by MIR. Dawes. His constituents have
been very proud Of HIM, and have had reason
for their pride.
But were we citizens of the Nineteenth dis
trict of OHIO we should seek of Mr. Garfield
very clear explanation othis conduct before con.
senung to vote for his reelection We refer
only to facts IN his late career which we Judge
of simply from the uncontradcted record.
DEEPLY INVOLVED IN CREDIT MoBILIER.
We cannot forget that he was more deeply
involved in the sad Credit Mobilier difficulty
than any other member of the house of repre-
sentatives-excepting Of course Cakes Ames
and Brooks. After such an experience he
ought To have been extremely cautious. But
The testimony taken in the investigation of the
| District OF Columbia frauds shows that Mr..
Garfield received $1,000 for his aid IN getting
through paving contract accepted by the Dis
trct government. \ Mr.. Parsons, a notorious
|jobbcr, made IN argument for the paving com
| pany, and then got Mr.. Garfield 10 make
further argument and 10 use his personal in.
fuence in It's favor OF course, Mr. Garfeld's
argument was successful. How could it be
otherwise? He was chairman of the commit
tee of appropriations. Every cent of money
voted to the District had to come through him
Shepherd could not afford to refuse HIM any.
thing that he asked, and Mr.. Garfield knew it
when he asked and received for his services a
fee which would have been grossly extraya-
CANT but for official position.
/ WILLING 10 SELL OUT FOR s. 1000
That is, so far as the case is known to the
public, for $1,000 he was willing to sell to the
Mcclellan contractor his influence AS legis-
position as a guardian of the treasury of the
nation to make the District government award
a profitable contract. So tar as most men can
see $1,000 was an extravagant price for any
service which Mr.. Garfield could render that
did not depend on his official position, and, If
we can judge, the breaking away of the Viii
llamsburg dam no more indicated the worth.
lessness of its construction than does such an
act of this, thus far unexplained, the breaking
away Of the moral foundation of mans char.
acter Mr.. Garfield should very clearly ex
plain this transaction before asking the vote
of one honest man.
A THOROUGHLY TRUSTWORTHY MAN WANTED
i We have selected Mr.. Garfield's case As an
illustration not because we have any i'll will
against him, for our respect for him has been
very deep, and his act has panied US greatly
but because he best points the moral which We
wish to draw. Doubtless if he were returned
he would make an excellent representative
and do honor 20 his constituency; but that dis
trict and every other wants now not so much
an able man as thoroughly trustworthy man
and VIC would have every citizen IN every state
ask similar questions about his representative
Ito those which We have suggested 70 the