San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1881-01-13

Poor Garfield

. All the speculations about the re
cent visit OF Gen. Garfield to Wash
ington connecting it with politics and
with cabinet making, are entirely er-
roneous. His business was Of more
private and urgent nature.
In certain circle here it is no So
cret that for the last two or three years
Garfield has been very hard pressed
for money
The exposures in the Credit Mobil-
ier and De Golyer paving cases un.
questionably cut of sources ofsupply
to which he had been accustomed, and
made him chary Of jobs, even when
they were in the hands Of the most
trusted friends. His trade was prac-
tically stopped by these causes, and
by some others not necessary to name
now.
His regular expenses are much
greater than they are generally sup
posed to be, because some of his ir-
regular tastes are quite expensive,
and dependent on caprices not easily
controlled. To keep house ut Men,
tor and a house at Washington run
ming together for at least half the
year, and to raise and educate fam
lily of five children, ut an age too,
when with the utmost care the out
lay must be large, to say nothing OF
other constant demands ON u public
man, would not leave much OF Con-
gress-member's salary for the newt
able wet days after the bills are paid.
Garfield is thrlft.ess man, in q
way extravagant, and he has been ha-
bituaily used by adroit schemers who
nave taken the lions share and given
him the leavings. For example, Dick
Parsons got $4,000 in the DeGolyer
pavement job, while Garfield got but
So, 900 and he did all the work in
carrying through three and a half
miuions of appropriations for Boss
Shepard's Ring in six weeks.
In fact, Parsons was only
brought in because of his intim-
acy with Garfield, and not for any
service he personally was expected to
render
Driven into corner, Garfield mort
gagged his house here several years
ago and he has failed to pay the notes
as they became due The parties in
interest acted leniently, until it be-
came necessary for their protection
by the law, to advertise for sale, un
dera deed of trust. He was notified
recently that this process was about
to be put into the way of being exe
cuted and he hurried to Washing
ton to prevent that calamity if possi-
bic E.u
After two days of negotiation, a
postponement was secured, and he
returned to Mentor relieved of this
immediate and .torturing pressure,
which is only one among others
known to exist in different forms.
These debts and troubles of which the
public know little, have enslaved Gar
field SO much rs to extort from him
the declaration that if he could be
freed from the burden and strain on
his mind, he would gladly renounce
the Presidency.
The seekers of honors and of Offices
who are able and willing to buy them
at any price, will be too glad of an
opportunity to wipe out all such
claims against the coming dispenser
of patronage. They will be quick to
profit by his necessities. He is already
held fast in the chains of jobbers,
who have the power to expose their
with him, and who will not
fail to exact their pound Of flesh when
ever it becomes convenient for them
to do so.
Between these existing ties, and
others likely to be formed, it is not
difficult to predict what sort of an
is in reserve for the
Money will control it, and
Grantism will flourish under another
name. There was time when his
better nature would have revolted at
this bondage. Those fine feelings
were long ago blunted. He is the
Of rings aud Of riches
New York Sun.