The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-06-11


uted, not to secure legislation--for
those railroad people had all the legis-
lation they wanted-but to prevent leg
islation. The seducers did not seduce
an entire Department of the Govern
ment; they only purchased the silence
of few members of Congress. This
was only the seduction of fractional
part of one of the Departments of the
Government. The men who were Sc
duced did not steal; they were only ex-
pected to keep silent about the indirect
attacks upon the Treasury that had al
ready been made. And yet the Credit
Mobilier scandal shocked the moral
sense of the country from the Penobscot
to the Golden Gates. But the Credit
Mobilier scandal was triHe compared
with the brazen Star Route robbery.
By the Executive Department OF the
Government-not by strangers-the
United States Treasury has been robbed
OF 81, 900, 900, perhaps of $4,000, 600. in
a ''clean Administration" and in one,
only, of its manifold branches. The
Credit Mobiier scandal involved only a
few thousands of dollars. In order to
intelligently and properly view this
stupendous fraud, we must look, not SO
much at the individual thieves as at
the relations of the thieves to the Adj
ministration and the party they repre-
sent, and under whose protecting wings
they stole. The solemn fact on which
the country will look with shame is that
James A. Garfield was elected Presi-
dent largely by the corrupt use of some
part of the millions which these thieves
stole from the country, and more largely
by the thieves themselves, who stole
these millions, into whose hands the
moral and relig. Gus Republican million
aires of New York and the East poured
their funds. and whom they dined with
ostentatious and humiliating Difference
after the ..Star" election.
1t was the Dorseys and the Bradys
and the Tyners who carried Indiana.
They could have spared million from
their stealings. still remaining rich,
without calling upon the enormous
purse of the New York Republicans
who, in public appeal, warned the
country against electing Hancock be-
cause he was somehow associated with
..repudiators.
If we look at this stupendous steal in
its relations to the Administration of
Mr.. Hayes, all men see that the Repub-
lican party in the last election went be-
fore the country with falsehood in its
right hand ard corruption in its left.
If we look at this huge plumber in its
relations to the present Administration,
all men see that the outrage was made
public bv an accident. What accident
Postmaster-G General James is friend
of Conkling. Conkling hated the Adj
ministration of Hayes, and is delighted
to bring it into disrepute. Conkling is
not unwilling to embarrass the Adj
ministration of Garfield; and the
country knows that while Garfield was
member of the House charges con-
corning these robberies and corrup-
tions in the Post-office Department
were openly made on the floor OF the
House, and Garfield shielded the accused
by silence and absence and lodging.
Garfield could not have been ignorant
of the sources of the money or of the
men that contributed to his election.
MIR. Hayes was embarrassed by the men
| in Louisiana and Florida who secured
his Inauguration. He was forced to re-
ward them. He could not afford to ex-
pose or punish fraud at the close of his
Administration. The thieves were the
saviors of Garfield. What is he to do?
This fraud is one of many which would
be made known if the books could be
opened. The power of the 'sins'' isseen.
The intimate relations of this I'M
precedented and audacious steal with
the success of the Republican party are
too plain to need argument or further
illustration. The November election
was a STAR election The country
has for years been the victim of ''Star'
electiohs.- Cincinnati Enquirer.