The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1884-08-23
the election is llKefVr r00

tne electlon is likely C0~.S.t. tide
out on other issues than tariff u
protection. In fact, to the ordinary
political mind as it operates here ii
Washington, a party platform is &
mere collection of words anc
| phrases with which to obfusticate
the mind of the rural voter.
THE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES VIEW
Little does the government EN-.
ploye care whether protection OF
free trade exists, SO long as he is
able to keep his place. He has a
good deal of faith in the effective.
ness Of an exposure of something
discreditable in Cleveland's record
TO upset the charges against Mr.
Blaine: but whether the Chinese
come or 60, whether gold stays in
the treasury or leaves it, or whethe,
the government has a foreign policy
or not, is to him a matter of little
consequence. For this reason, the
weakness of oftheRepublican platform
this year does not disturb the re-
publicans in Washington. It
might say precisely the opposite
from what it does say on every sub
ject and be just as good platform
as it is now in their eyes. What
they are after is to hold on to their
offices. They have a pretty firm
belief that if Blaine is elected they
will stay; and they feel that if
Cleveland is elected they will have
to 60. 1t is doubtful if there are a
dozen men among all the govern
ment workers in Washington who
can tell what the Republican plat
form requires the party speakers to
proclaim on the stump this year.
KE1FER AND THE LAW.
It is said that Mr.. J. Warren
Keifer, ''the great North American
truth teller" who has been thor
oughly beaten in his district, is
going to open law office in Wash
ington. That means, of course, that
he is going to join the ranks of
lobby agents here. That he would
do this might have been predicted
with certainty. All his associations
and sympathies while member
and speaker of the house have been
with the men who are trying to
bleed the government. He has
been speculator in western enter
prises for many years, and is re-
puted to have considerable wealth.
Of course he has no law practice at
home, if he had he would probably
stay there and attend to it, although
the public opinion of his district is
SO hostile to him that it probably
would be very unpleasant for him
to remain there. Here he will
probably not be without employ
ment.
THE APPEARANCE OF BUTLER.
The news of Gen. Buffers decis-
ion to stand for the presidency, on
the nominations that have been
placed in his lap by number of
conhding organizations, creates no
surprise in Washington, and what
is more little or no interest even
among the workingmen who claim
ed to be such intense believers in
the man.
It is the general impression that
Butler has lost ground by his long
delay that can never be recovered,
and that,he will discover when he
does finally appear on the field that
the bulk Of the workingmen have
already enlisted under other ban
ners. Buffers nlonopolistic record
in congress, when it is disclosed to
the anti-monopolists, will have
effect upon the decent
members of thatN organization, as
suming that such IA organization
exists save in name, snd the decent
members have not a11aa1y aban-
doned it since he wa porni-
nation. The frequ! Ciews
which have been held, hea|
tween Butler and Seer
ler are all construed as 81
his determination to assist
publicans at the expense
Democratic candidates,
believed that mapy
unite with him IL
party in a pres