The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-05-03
THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY.

republicans" By what process of reasoning
our cotemporary arrives at this conclusion
is not clear. The name of a democrat has
not thus far been mentioned in connection
with this disgraceful affair, unless the Inter-
, fountain, in its recent article on "The Star
| Routes,' in which il Tugs in the name of Ma
jor Maglnnis, means to intimate that our del
kegate had a hand in it. Such an intimation
is so unjus. TO the Major, so unwarranted by
the facts already developed in the case, so
gratuitous in the absence of proofs implicat-
ing him, that we cannot believe our cotempo-
raly would even by an insinuation attempt to
blacken the character of the man who has so
long and so nobly %clampioned the interests
of Montana in the halls of congress.
We think we may assert without fear OF
successful contradiction that Major Maginnis
has had nothing to do with the lettings OF
mail contracts. In fact, anyone possessed OF
a particle of common sense and a knowledge
of the inner workings of the postoffice de-
partment would know he could have nothing
to do with them. 1t is true that in several
instances communities of people in different
parts of the territory have petitioned the post
Office department for postofices or for better
mail facilities. These petitions have either
been sent directly to Second Assistant Post
master General Brady or to Major Maginnis,
accompanied with a request that he present
the same TO the proper department.. When
he complied with the request his duty in that
direction ceased. When we say ceased we
epant ,trisaJlv 1iaipr. MorinpiS +. mid tlvp
no influence with Mr.. Brady in directing pos
tai contracts nor in determining the amount
that was paid contractors. He had no vote
in co lgress. He could not vote upon and in
taver of appropriations for the postoflice dc
pal tment He lad no earthly chance to be-
come a member of the COMMITTEES ON Postof-
fees and post routes. He had no vote to trade
for votes in the interest of Brady and his as
sociai es. He was aid is simply a delegate
for a territory and Brady knew it, and there
fore Brady had no use for linn. If Mr.. Ma
ginnis ever entertained a desire to dabble in
mail contracts for his pecunialy advantage,
the fact of his being a democrat without a
vote would shut him out from having d hand
in them. Mr.. Brady hunted larger game. and
he got it. He wanted congressman who
could interpose votes between him and inves-
tlgating committees, and lie got them. He
wanted eX- congressman FOX stool pigeons, and
he got them. He wanted First Assistant
Postmaster General Tyner, and lie too
him. He wanted Postmaster General
Reyes, and he got him. He wanted
the president of the United States, Rather
ford b.. Hayes, to discountenancc searching
investigations, and he got him. He want
ed some able gentleman of easy virtue to edit
a newspaper in his interest, and he got Geo.
G. Goll!am. He wanted Il gentleman stand
ing high in the councils Of the party, and so
he got Dorsey, secretary of the republican
national committee. He wanted men of
political mtluence-Tltans in tie republican
party, who could call to his assistance the
hundrcd-handed political giants found in
high official stations, and he them. These
are the men he wanted, and he found them
in the officials we have named. and in
such men as congressman Page, Of Calif0r-
MIA, Chailee, of Colorado, Ex-Governor Thay-
l er, Of Wyoming, and a host of other stalwarts
of the party. Not a democrat in the list, but
all good and true republicans-shining lights
in the party OF great moral IDEAS
He had no use for such men as Major Ma
@innls. He Vas "gettlng away with 2,000,-
O0oa year from HE government 1t wa Too good
a thing 10 divide among men outside of The
party. H. constituted a healthy annual fund
upon which republican campaign committees
;; could safely draw. low much OF il was used
to elect Garfield, may probably ira aspire, but
20 that Major Maginnis, or any other democrat,
received any of it, is among the most remote
possibilities, and cannot be seriously consid.
ered.
k The republican party must face the music
h aud pay for 1t, TOO. The eyes of the nation
t. are fixed upon the principals in this raid upor
* the national treasury, and the people vii
m hold the republican parry responsible for it
1t The attempt TO tasten the pubic gaze upoI
IT. the small Try contractors that picked up !
~ few crumbs that fell from the huge loaye.
in that the principals gathered in will fail. L
IL there had been pure men at the head of the
H. several departments, these populations coul,
he not nor would not have occurred
y, The disgrace will fall with more crushin
weight upon the party in power from the fac
ne the attention OF the administration undo
IT. Hayes was directed by the democrats to tn
rk irregularities in the postof1ice department
1t. year ago last winter. Instead of permitting
We free and full investigation Of the matter, MI
to hayes and those in authority under HIM, di
ID everything they conld do to smother it,. .B
en- the free application of white wash the dar
at transactions in which Brady, at that tim,
we was engaged were colored over and all inop