The weekly miner., 1881-11-01
A SPECK OFwAR.

There is small cloud the size of a mans
hand in " political armament Immediately
above the city OF New York The storm
which it heralds has not been prayed for, by
the Republicans, at least. Yet il seems des-
tiredt to break its fury upon them. 70 come
TO the point, there is fresh trouble brewing in
the Custom House. The Republican State
Committee wants money. There is nothing
surprising in that, for it is well known they
have a hard battle to fight between now and
the Sth of November. The "bar'ls" of their
several candidates ara not overfown9 with
filthy lucre, and this being an off year, the
truly loyal have drawn their purse strings
with an unyielding grip, and fail to respond to
the cries Of the faithful for the sinews of war.
But money must be had. Dissensons with
in their ranks must be heated, and there is
no agent so potent as golden ducals to as
sure the cure. Besides there is u purIhasable
ally whose aid must be secured to insure
success. Hence ths edct has gone forth that
money must be obtained. AS one Of the
means by which the Republican state Com.
mittee hopes TO gather in the shekels it has
other employees of the various Federal Of
| fees there calling upon them for contrbu-
tons from their salaries for the purposes OF
the campaign, "checks being aiade payable
| to Gen. n. NJ. Curtis" But many of the
| clerks and employees demurred and
had the courage to assert that the
proceeding is in direct contiavention Of the
civil service policy. They want their sala-
ries to aid them in the support Of their fam
| lilies, and the committee want a portion Of it
to advance the Interests Of the party. Here is
| direct conflict Of interests. The clerks
shield themselves behind tho civil service
reform plank Of the Republican party, and
the committee present against it as weapon
to demolish it, the usages and traditions of
| the past organization. The clerks of the Gus
ON House propose TO appeal TO the Collector
to stand by them in the position they have
! taken.
But the state committee is power that
| Judge Robertson does not desire to offend.
His position is peculiar if not critical one.
If he shall back the demands of the commit
tee and force the victims of the impending
political plebotomy to yield their hard earn
ed substa nee, be places himself in the same
position which compromised MIR. Arthur
al caused his removal. On the other and
if he stand by his clerks in their manly re-
fusal to aceede to the demands of the money
gatherers, the party machine is likely to be
| turned against him. lie is thus placed be
tween two fires. Every one knows that A.
thur was turned out Of tie custom house
three years ago for running it as a political
machine. 1t is not likely that Mr.. Arthur
has forgotten that humiliation. He has no
love for Robertson, and the after gentleman
knows it. Should Robertson make the clerks
pay the assessment made upon them the same
charge could be made against h IN that was
made against Arthur. Robertson knows this
too and he furthermore knows that Arthur,
would like to administer to HIM the same
medicine that he (ArthLr) was compelled to
take during Hayes administration. This state
of things places the collector between TIVE
fires The machine OH one hand asking fol
contributions from his employees, and the
once badly snubbed President on the Other
watching for an opportunity to send broad
side into the Halt-breed r.hks. Mr.. Robert
son has paid his money, and can take his
choice of either horn of the dilemma A
slight speck of war is faintly dscernable il
the direction of the New York custom house
a political cesspool which has blasted the
hopes of better men than Collector Robert
son.