Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-11-17
of fire" for the stalwart administration
in the name of the late President.
Well Merited Defeat.

The defeat Of young Mr.. Astor's as
pirations to go to Congress, says the
Lancaster Inteiigencer, will serve as
wholesome example to that class Of
people who, alas have had too fire..
quent occasion to believe that money
and its illegal and profuse use are
unfailing means of political advance
ment. Ii sometimes becomes needful
TO rebuke that spirit of demagogism
which teaches that to wear clean
shirt and to have a certain knowledge
Of the forms of polite society are dis
qualifications of popular representa-
tive. Good clothes and good breeding
should be no bar to political honors,
any more than horny hands or lack of
lucre. Good men are often poor the
meanest aud worst frequently happen
upon wealth. Neither combination is
essential. Mr.. Astor may be well
disposed young man, but thus far his
political ambition, as displayed in the
New York Legislature. has been to
train with the bosses who have flat
tered him for his money and who en-.
couraged his congressional canvass,
which he carried on by bribing the
bummers and lavishly patroBizing the
beer houses. His extravagant cam.
paigD, in which $50 gold pieces were
the leading arguments advanced in
bis behalf, aud in which he spent
s75,0 900, has been the scandal even of
New York politics. Gen. Grant and
ex-senator Conkling legged through
his district for him on 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 hes
been defeated in the Republican dis.
trict from which Mr.. Morton resigned
to accept the French mission.
His successful opponent, Mr.. Flow
er. was a rich man too, the result Of
his own exertions, however, and not
an inheritance like Asior's fortune.
1t has been misrepresented that the
contest was between moneybags, but
this is obviously incorrect, and Mr..
Flowers character and his kind Of
canvass may be inferred from these
sentiments avowed in his speech upon
learning of his election:
Ten days ego, when there was no
Democrat in this district who would &C
cept nomination for Congress, said
TO your committee IL you desired to run
me on my record | would stand in the
gap; but IL you wanted to run my purse
! v would subscribe 10 another candidates
canvass, but | would not run myself
announced that | would not buy TO
gain an election q single Republican
vote. knew that this vas the wealth.
est Congressional district ia the United
States, and thought that IL was a
shame that only rich men could success.
fully run here. said elf you will
stand by me and carry me through this
canvass will try and take your stand.
ard, trailing in the dust. and carry il 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 start.
ed, that We would teach the corruption.
lists that they could not carry this can.
vass with money. appealed TO the
rich and the poor and the middle classes
to stand by me in this fight against cor.
ruption aud. united with good Republi-
cans who believed as we did and who
believed In an honest administration, we
have gained success because We we're in
the right