The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-07-02
SHOULD CONKLING WITHDRAW,

,, jorlty should rule and the minority Shout,
submit. Last winter, when the republicans q
the New York legislature were called upon 4
elect senator, majority of them decided II
favor OF MIR. Platt and Mr., Conkling at ono
said that the majority should rule. Now,
very decided majority of the same republican
Legislators have decided against Mr.. Conk
ling, and why should he longer continue t.
oppose this majority? If he believes tina
the minority should yield to the majority
why does he not at once retire from the field
I-Worris UeraM.
1t is all very well for outsiders to lecture
Mr.. Conkling IN this way, but has our es
tecmed Contemporary taken any thought o
how it happens that Mr.. Conkling finds him
sell IN the minority? The New York repub
llcans it is well known, are as distinctly di
vided into two wings or factions, as the voters
of the state generally are divided into repub
llcans and democrats AT the election las,
fall there were chosen to the New York legis
lature 5S democrats, 81 stalwart or Conkling
and 38 half breed" or anti Conklng republi
cans. When it was announced that Conkl ling
and Plat had resigned, noses were counted
and 1t was found that Conkling could safely
count upon bat 81 supporters In the New
York senate and house, ten OF the stalwarts
having weakened on Conkiing in view of the
loss OF official polf which opposition to the ad-
mnistration by supporting Conkling involved.
That the 81, however, or a. least decided ma
jority of the republicans in the New York
| Legislature, would adhere to Couking was so
taken for granted that no persuasion or appeal
to party usages could induce the halfbreeds
to enter caucus with the stalwarls and agree
to abide by its decision. But when In course
OF time the balloling commenced, 1t was found
that of Conkling's 81 bat 81 clung to hun, the
other 20 being apparently undecided and
lodging about from one fugitive candidate to
another Then one of these weakened stall
warts, then another, was found first tmidly,
then more boldly voting with the halfbreeds
The ballohng went on day after day, every new
ballot showing gain by the half breeds of
one or more of the weak kneed stalwarts until
Depew's vote ran up to So, and COnkllng's
vote OF 81 had dropped to 81, BY what means
did Depew get these 20 to % s,alwart votes 2
Mr.. Bradley's little business transaction with
Lo Sessions affords one explanation OF now
the change was accomplished. Senator Stra
hans account of his interview with John l.
Davenport affords second insight into the
modus operandi. Then that accomplished lob
bylst, Mr.. Charles Edwards, In his statement
before the bribery committee, let IN some fur
ther light on the subject. 1t was his "busi
ness" he SAID to find out what members were
open to influence" and then, by holding up
to them thick envelopes and telling them,
You can have more than that If you will vote
for our men," he seldom failed to bring them
to treason" And finally the amable Mr.. A.
ID. Barber lets IN flood oflight as to the means,
by his explanation how, through an innocent
game Of 'pltch" or "old sledge," he was able
TO placate stalwarts to the side of Depew by al.
lowing them to win big stakes.
Looking at the subject in the light of such
facts, can there be any reasonable doubt that II
large proportion of these twenty or twenty five
votes, which have been cast for Depew under
such extraordinary circumstances, were pur.
chased with money, or promises of Federal OF.
fees, or other corrupt considerations And
such being the admitted state of the case, Is 1t
right Is it even decent, to ask Mr. Conkling,
and lecture him on his duty, to submit to the
decision of majority obtained by such means
There 10 no decent solution Of the New York
senatorial deadlock possible but by a submls-
sion ofthe senatorial question to new cleo
ton, by which the assembly can be cleansed
of its present membership, seething with rot
tonness, and new and clean body put in their
place. No honest man can object TO such a
submission. 1t is opposed only by such cor
ruptlonists as thrive by the money bags of the
monopollsts represented by Depew, and the I'll
thy riifraf that are open to trade for govern
ment patronage doled out by Gartield's corrupt
office broker John l. Davenport.