The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-11-12
The spo,is system.

v lie chicago fnter ocean, whose editOr, ike
Guiteau, prides himself on being "a stalwart
OF the stalwar,s,' went rough shod for Prof.
Swing, Of the alliance, few days ago, because
the latter dared to deprecatc the growing intiu-
ence ofex President Grant with the new admin.
is,ration, characterIzlng him while president,
as the protector OF fraud, &c. The Inter ocean,
after applying to the professor such gentle
Iepl;hets as "howling IDIOT" "blatant dema.
goguc," &C. accuses him Of "wlliul misrepre,
sentation and downright lying" This gives
the Professor occasion for the following decd.
eddy vigorous response:
The Inter Ocean says that there are some po-
litical writers 80 immature and vealy in their
political ideas rs to bear the same relation to
the veritable students and writers of politics
that the irrelevant bOmbast and the bumptlous
self importance of the school.boy sustain to
the ripe thought and settled convictions of the
mature statesman" Perhaps an appeal to his.
tory may settle the question in which office the
immature and vealy" political writer sits
Did the Inter Ocean ever hear of Belknap
and Babcock and Leet and Porter and Murphy
and Macdonald and Jayne and Stocking and
the ignObe army of rascals who belong in the
SAINT vi WUIlulcS VI TIC TelRH Ol
Granty Did it ever hear of the whisky rings
Does 1t know that gigantic frauds were COM
mitted IN the New York custom house under
the name of general order business? Has it
read Macdonald's confessions Does it know
that eX. President Grants brother came to In
ternal Revenue Collector Jussen during the
reign that, according TO the Inter Ocean, not
even Democrat has lmpeached and suggest
ed to him that he wink at the violation of the
law regarding distllleres, divide with the pres
ident's brother, and make fortune? Does it
know that the presidents brother told Colonel
j ssen that he would make it all right at head.
quarters? Does it know that Colonel Jussen
was not in favor with the administration after
his refusal to participate In the fraud? Does
1t know that this incorruptible officer was re-.
moved without cause and the place given to
one less desIrous to enforce the laws? Has the
Inter Oceans "verltable student and writer of
politics. in Its office a copy of Senate Report
No. 227, Forty second Congress, Second SEES
sion, entitled Testimony in Relation to Alleg.
ed Frauds in the New York Custom House,
Taken by the Committee on Investigation and
Retrenchment? II so, and he will read it
carefully as "a veritable student and writer of
politics" should, he will be convinced that
Babcock and Lect and Stocking were engaged
in conspiracy to get money by dishonest
methods through the general order business !"
that BabCOck and Leet were men whom the
White House sheltered and who should have
been lodged in a much less inviting residence.
He will learn that Thomas Murphy blackmaiL
ed such merchants as Phelps, Dodge g. Co.,,
Whlteside Brothers, and others, and made the
custom house den of thieves.
He will learn, too, that the protection of no
less person than U. s. Grant was thrown
OF nd hos m xx,hn foo 1,D
opinion compelled them to step down and out,
were given certificates of his undiminished re.
spect. AS he said to Mr. Murphy he virtually
said to every one of his friends convicted of
rascality:
"You have had my unqualified confidence
ever since you entered the office of collector.
You had that confidence before, or the appoint
ment would not have been rendered you. That
confidence Is still mistaken, and in accepting
your resignation desire to give you the full
est assurance of the fact"
If the "veritsble student" of the Inter Ocean
wants more proof of our assertions, 1t can be
given him.
Neither the assertions nor the proof would
be called for at the present time were 1t not for
General Grants attitude toward civil service
reform, and his evident influence with Presi-
dent Arthur. The editor of a paper which is
already advocating third term, has been ap.
pointed first assistant postmaster general at the
instance of General Grant, and that President
Arthur has SAID that he shall consult with the
senators of the various states regarding the
appointments In their states needs no confir-
nation after the nomination of Gen. Beverage
as sub-treasurer at Chicago, at the instance Of
the illinois boss.
The boss again reigns at Washington; the
spols system again has full sway; and when
the first citizen of the republic is at the capital,
successfully lobbying tor this friend of his or
that, it is time for civil service reformers to
raise the note of alarm and prepare for the con.
test with the spOils system, which will make
its last fight in 1884.
Then the party that places itself squarely on
the platform Of civil service reform will be
successful. That Is the great living issue. If
the Republican party selects Grant or Grants
candidate in 1884, it will be beaten as surely
as the sun rises on election morning. That
the power that be are preparing for such An is.
cue every sign indicates, whether the "verita-
BILE student and writer OF politics" of the stall
wart journals can see it or not,