Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-11-10
1dnrastcr Ft,:ell!genrer.
THURSDAY EVENING. NOV. 10. 1881.
Well Mcrfted Defeat.


The defeat of young Mr.. Astor's as
pirations to 90 to Congress will serve as
a wholesome example to that class of
people who, alas have had too frequent
occasion to believe that money and its
illegal and prOfuse use are unfailiDg
means of political advancement. 1t
sometimes becomes needful to rebuke
that spirit of demagogism which teaches
that to wear a clean shirt and to have a
certain knowledge of the forms of polite
society are disqualifications Of popular
representative. Good clothes and good
p breeding in themselves should he no bar
to political hOnors, any more than horny
hands or lack of lpcre. Good men are
often poor the meanest and worst
frequently happen upon wealth. Neither
combination is essential. Mr.. Astor
may be we'll disposed young man, but
thus far his political ambition, as dis
played in the New York Legislature,
has been to train with the bosses who
have flattered him for his money and who
encouraged his congressional canvass,
which he carried on by bribing the bum
mers and lavishly patrOnizing the beer
houses. His cxtravagant campaign, in
which $50 gold pieces were the leading
arguments advanced in his behalf,
and in which he spent $4,000, has
been the scandal even of New York pol
iticS. Gen. Grant and ex-senator
Conkling logging through his district
for him OH election day did not
enhance the respectability of his
contest. 1t is we'll that he has come to
grief, and the rebuke is all the more
emphatic because he has been defeated
in the Republican district from which
Mr.. Morton resigned to accept the
French mission.
His successful opponent, Mr.. Flower,
eXertiOns, however, and not an inherit
ance like Astor's fortune. IL has been
misrepresentcd that the contest was be-
tween moneybags, but this is obviously
incorrect, and Mr.. Flowers character
and his kind of canvass may lie inferred
from these sentiments avowed in his
speech upon learning of his election
Ten days ago. when there was no Demo
crat in this district who would accept IL
nomination for Congress, | said to your
committee if you desired to run me on my
record, would stand in the gap; but if
you wanted to run my purse, l would sub,
scribe my share to another candidate S can
vass, but would not run myself. | an
nounced that would not buy. to gain an
election, 4 single Republican vote. knew
that this was the wcalthicst congressional
district in the United States, and thought
that it was shame that only rich men
could successfully run here. l said !: g II
you will stand by me and carry me through
this canvass, will try and take your stan
dard, trailing in the dust, and carry it to
victory" | appealed to the people, and
the people have won
said to the people of this district, many
Of whom started in life as | started, that
we would teach the corruptiOnists that
they could not carry this canvass with
money. appealed to the rich and the
poor and the middle classes to stand by
NE in this fight against corruption, and,
united with good Republicans who be.
iieved rs We did, and who believed in an
honest administration, we have gained
success because VIC were i'll the right.