The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-10-25
ONE OF THE MUGWUMPS.
Prof. Platt of Yale College Repudiates
the lingo Candidate.

republicans, is in receipt of a letter from
Prof. johnson T. Platt, of Yale college, |
who is also a prominent lawyer in New
| Haven. Mr.. Platt has but recently iden-
titled himself with the independent move
ment, and this letter is his first public ut
terance. 1t is as follows:
New HAVEN Conn, Oct. 20.-Ay
Dear lNr. Smith: The papers you were
kind enough to send me came to hand
this morning | am glad to learn that
you are actively engaged in the indepen
dent movement in Chicago but expected
no less from my knowledge of your char
acter. This is most important juncture
in our affairs, and it is the duty of every
man, young or old, who believes in a
higher standard of political action, to
| take counsel of nothing but his con-
science.
As you are aware, have acted with Il e
republican party, believing that on tie
whole the interests and welfare of tie
great body of people would be best served
by its continuance in power, although
some of its measures and methods did not
commend themselves to my Judgment.
My associations and habits tended to keep
me with that party, but l cannot vote Tor
Mr.. Blaine, and | expect to vote for Mr..
Cleveland.
1t is irrelevant at TINS time to appeal 10
the record Of the republican party. We
know that record, and some of US, accord
ing to our abilities, helped to make it.
The party stood for great principles of
right, and under God was the instrument
by which great good to humanity was
wrought out, The question that we have
TO answer is not what the party effected
in the past, but whether the best interests
of the country will be promoted 10y Civ
ing it further lease of power. Parties,
like all other human instrumentalities,
| must be abandoned when they have serv-
| ed their purposes. In no other way can
progress be maintained. 1t must be ads
| mitted, however, that one cannot without
| pang break the associations that have
been formed during a score of years.
The republican party has for nearly a
| quarter OF century controlled our ma
tional policy, and since the settlement Of
the questions growing out of the war a
| new set of men have climbed into high
places IN its councils OF the men who
| founded the party and contributed to the
brightest pages of the record, not a few
OF those who survive are now to be found
in the ranks of the opposition. A long
| tenure of power is apt to stimulate AFRO
ganCe and seltlSbnGss, and we are not to
be surprised if some of the so called lead
ers of the party are more occupied in in
| sr
seeking out ways in which they can pros
mote the public good. More attention
has been given to special and class inter
ests, to serve which it was supposed
would promote party ends. than has been
bestowed upon measures calculated to
benefit the whole people. Special pains
have been taken to pour money into the
pockets of few without due considera-
ton for the interests of all; and rich
men with neither the character
nor ability for craftsmanship
have been accorded too much
influence for the good of the country. A
commercial spirit not of high order has
intruded itself into politics, and money is
rapidly becoming the standard of value
for things that could not formerly be pur-
chased with that commodity. With the
rapid increase of corporations, and the
control Of immense masses of aggregated
capital by a few persons, the further
, growth of this tendency will be extremely
| dangerous to our institutions. Public
virtues is already sneered at or commits
i Grated as a sort of amiable weakness, and
a fat bank account is considered a surer
! means for obtaining place and power than
character, training, and ability to render
, public service.
In the nomination of Mr.. Blaine some
: of these tendencies were triumphant
2 His lack of character and inability to set
the public good before his own private
advantage were well known before the
meeting of the Chicago convention. The
nomination was made against the protest
of large, and respectable body of voters,
who had before that time acted with the
, republican party. Their opposition did
not come from devotion to any other can
didate, but was q matter of conscience
They held that Mr.. Blaine had shown by
F his conduct in public affairs that he was
not fit to be nominated, and if nominated
was not fit to be elected. If they should
vote for him now they would stultify
G themselves. He is an able man. and
therefore more dangerous. Sinister pIr-
lpores are impotent when entertained by
fools. He has faculty for brilliant. ra>
pid, and effective combination, sesultin9
in a dramatic situation. We may admire
the resources of the actor, but our sober
h judgment cannot approve either his me
thods or the product. 1t is notistates-
manship. but self seeking.
0 These who are opposed to Mr.. Blaine
e and to the tendency that made his candi,
y dacy possible, can now make no effective
protest except by voting for Mr.. Cleve'
land. 1t is true that he was not until two
S or three years ago identified in a conspi-
l. cious way with public affairs, bat his con
= duct in the great place he now fills con
lvinces me that he has, in an unusual de
gree, those qualities that should be sough
o in presidential candidate. Besides larg
g ability, firmness and strong sense 0
Justice he has an old fashioned, rugged
notion of public duty, and | have failet
to discover any indication of tendenc,
i on his part to make the trust committed
5, to him subordinate to his personal inter
: ests or ambitions. In word, believ
him to be one
''Whom neither force nor fawnng can
Or Unpine, or wrench from giving all their due.
Unless, then, we are to rate the success
of party above the welfare of the country
al it seems to me that it is our duty to d
NJ what we can to secure the defeat of MI
he Blaine by voting for Mr.. Cleveland
IS Faithfully yours. JOHNSON T. PLATT.
re To Edwin Burritt Smith, Esq, Chica
y 60, Ill.
ID