Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-05-17
MIR. MITCHELL PROTESTS.


MR.. MITCHELL PROTESTS.
THE SENATOR CALLS ON Mr.. ARTHUR.
Telling tho President That the Recent An.
polntments Are Obnoxious to the Poo
pie, But With No E0ect-The
Independent Convention.
Washington Dispatch to the Times.
Senator Mitchell is bearing out his prom
ises with regard to the contested federal
nominations. When Jackson was nomi
mated to give the Cameron ranks in West.
ern Pennsylvania a political leader in place
of faithful public officer, Mr.. Mitchell
said promptly: II will protest against
such nominations and will oppose them
to the full extent of my power in the
name of the people whose wishes have
been thus disregarded." He informed Mr..
Cameron that this would be done at the
proper time. Later, when the indignant
people had been heard, Senator Mitchell,
still 10th to engage in party wrang Cling,
went to Mr.. Cameron and asked him to
beg the president to withdraw the
Objectionable nominations. Mr.. Cam
eron after calculating the cost and conclud-
ing that he had gone too far to retreat,
declined to move il the matter, as every
body supposed he would, and announced
his determination to press both jackson
and kaufman. His first step was to call
up the case Of the latter in executive ses-
sion to-day. Senator Mitchell objected
and the matter went over under the rules.
1t will come up at the next executive ses-
sion and will, of course, be disposed of by
confirmation. The next step by tho
junior senator was to carry his protest to
the president. lilo must have been fully
aware that it would 90 for naught there.
as the executive sees but one side OF
PENNSYLVANIA politics and that is the Cam
eron side. To appeal from Cameron to
Arthur could not but prove fruitless.
Notwithstanding the hOpelessness of his
errand the Independent senator boldly
faced the president this afternoon ant.
laid before him tho details of the situa
ton.
He told the president what the lat
ter had probably heard from no mans lips
before-that his policy of Federal appoint
ments In Pennsylvania was stencil in the
nostrils Of the people and was in direct All
tagonism with the platforms of the party,
his OWE message and the principles of the
civil service. He exhibited tho recent
platform adopted at Harrisburg, tho code
agreed upon by the leaders of both parties
in conference assembled, the leading edi-
torials of the party press in Pennsylvania,
indOrsing his course and demanding tie
withdrawal of these names. Hc showed
the president the protests of the people of
Western Pennsylvania and informed him
of the united stand of the representatives
in Congress from that district. In short.
Senator Mitchell gave him q clean history
of the whole transaction and then reverted
to its bearing on the party. The vote last
year for Mr.. Wolfe, he said, would not be
a circumstance to what might be expected
this year should this course be persisted
in. The president heard him through and
beyond the expression of formal regrets
gave no sign that he was moved.
I" told the president last October, "
said Senator Mitchell in an interview to-
night, "what might be expected of the
Independent movement then, and reminded
him Of that prediction to-day. He turned
deaf ear then, as now. l said then if
things went on as they were then going
on under the management of Mr.. Cameron
there would be political revolution in
Pennsylvania, and that the first man to 90
down would be Mr.. Cameron, himself.
His best friends had advised him to
change his political methods in that state.
To my statement that there would be 4
political revolution he said lightly: You
don't mean to say they'd take up arms ,
Mr.. president, you know very we'll what
mean,' said MIR. Wolfe, though self
nominated, will have $4,000 to $4,000
votes He didn't seem to take any stock
in that. He said he had been a practical
politician for twenty-five years, and he
couldn't understand this abstract politics.
l told him that fifty-six senators and rep
reseutativss of the Legislature had re-
belled against the action of Mr.. Cam
eron's caucus and that was disposed to
fairly represent that sentiment and was
trying to get Mr.. Cameron to recognize it
properly by the appointments in tho state
that if the Independents were ostracized
that there would DO no harmony or union.
My desire was that there should be such a
union. felt that it was my duty on tho
first opportunity to give him the actual
situation of political affairs in our state."
1t was of this interview of last October
Mr.. Mitchell reminded the president to-
day. At least he will act hereafter with
his eyes open.