Daily globe., 1883-07-30
VII.

"This brings US to the statement that
early in the winter of 1881 General Gar
field offered you place in his cabinet
The statement is that Garfield had con-
templated this from the hour his election
was assured that be had revealed his inten-
ton to others, and so on, but that you had
declined to accept any appointlve Office in
the gift of the incoming president. What
is there about that?"
'Inasmuch as you have asked me that
question: question 1 never intended to
answer have only this to say, that Gen
eral Garfield not only offered me place in
the cabinet, but called me from New York
to Mentor on two occasions to insist that l
should take it. But declined to do so
for two reasons; first, my private business
req ulred all my attention, and l should
either have to neglect one or the other ;and,
second, because General Garfield seemed de-
termlned to appoint two men to his cabi-
net who were abhorrent to me. l have al
ways had great affection for men of
brains; have always had the most sub
lime contempt for pretenders. After the
election it would appear that the pretend
ers were in the majority. How in the
world could person who knew the poll
tics of ali the states as | did ever consent
to have men like James going into the cab
inst to represent the great state of New
YoIk, with the Conklings, Cornells, War
rens, Hlscocks, Astors, Mortons, and a
score more that might be named? James,
who was appointed, would net have been
employed by any one of these men to Un-
latch their trout door I have thou ght lots
Of times aoout James, and [ have com
pared him i'll my own mind with squads
that Catch under the roof of my barn
full, fat and idiotIc. But, after all. James
has been thrifty. de tore down from US
poor devils in the West the privilege of
getting a mail mora than once week. I5
seemed to Us out here, where we are
trying to do whatever frgutisr life
requires, that we ought to have mails
daily, and especially when it turns out as d
matter of fact that a once-a-week mail
gives each settler more than a full bag.
But the reformer, James, to wit, thought
that we were not entitled to mails more than
once month, and then most of us had to
go from 100 to $50 miles for our monthly
accumulation. liking this money, right
fully belonging to the mail service of the
West, thiSidle reformer turned upon Van
derbilt's roads the profits of more than
$2,000,000 a year. The poor devil of
pioneer or ranchman cut no figure; if he
got his mail once year it was enough for
him, and, if he didn't get it at all, so much
the better in the eyes of such reformers as
James and his class. James increased the
postal pay upon the New York Central
road upward of $780, year."
sWhy, by what law could any postmaster
general increase the allowance of any one
railway company?
"By the simplest thing in the world. The
pay upon railways is by pound and space.
Leading out of New York there are three
prominent lines-viz. New York Central,
Erie, and Pennsylvania. NAH is weighed
at any time by direction of the postmaster
general, every day covering period of
thirty days. The postmaster at New York
directs the line by which every western
mail shall GO. 1t, for example, mail is
10 be weighed on the New York Central,
he may direct that all the western mails
be sent over that line during the time of
weighing. That, of course, would enor
mously increase the pay OF the railroad
favored. The next month he might have
weighing on the Pennsy Ivania road and
turn all the western mails over that hns,
and next he might order the weighing on
the Erie road with the san Q result. l