The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-05-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. c.,
May 10, 1884.

don't know how much MI. Ar
thur will make out of his business
mans game that the Office holders in
New York are just now playing, but
it shows pretty plainly that the Presi.
dents chances have become so very
desperate that he has been COMPEL
ed to resort to desperate means to
raise what little boom he has got
But it is neither a shrewd, sagacious
or prudent device to have such
names as John Jacob Astor and
Horace B. Clafin to lead in any polit
ical movement, for they at once pu,
the rank and file upon their SUPP,
cions. Mr.. Arthur's administration
has been purely q negative one, and
it is appropriately endorsed by these
negative men, for nc body knows Mr.
Astor's votes, or how Mr.. Calhir
votes, if they vote at all. Mr.. Arthur
has done no harm, simply because
there was no harm to be done. The
machine would have run as well il
Mr.. Arthur had been in Kamschatka
The politicians in the grand ole
party" have all along credited Ar
thur with harmonizing the differences
that for three years Lave kept theil
leaders in hot water all over the coun
try. The recent action ofthe local con
ventions for choosing delegates .tc
their Chicago funeral hardly looks
that way, and Mr.. Arthur's appoint
ments have calculated to keep up tie
estrangement between the two OIL
three wings in which the party is di
vided. Talking with a leading Demo
GRAFT the othe day, he seemed to think
that the killing of the Morrison bill
was, after all, the best thing thai
could have happened this year tt
shape things for Democratic success
There was no leading Democrat tina
had been or would be talked of il
connection with a Presidential nom
ination, who had nos pronounced
views upon the tariff, and it was not
for Congress 10 be making tariff plat
ferns in advance to suit any posi-.
BILE candidate, and the Morrison az.
rangement wouldn't suit any of them
The dropping of the question alto
gether, gives us a Democratic Presi.
dent just as sure as if the thing had
already happened.
1 should like to know if the coun.
try is to continue this pampering o.
the Grant family during the term Of
their natural lives? Grant has been
given three or four fortunes in tie
last twenty years, and now Congress
puts him or the retired payroll at
about the same salary that he got
when President during his first term
If he is foolish enough to invest his
own and other peoples money in
Kelley motors and other South Sea
bubbles, don't see why the country
should keep on encouraging him in
that sort of out-of-
and this talk of our being unable tc
compensate him for his brilliant ser.
vices, smacks Il good deal more Of
sentiment than OF justice to ourselves
and regard for posterity.
The callow clap trap politicians oil
the Republican school who clerk in
the departments and affect base ball,
are the ones who have started this
hue and cry for Bob Lincoln as n
Presidential candidate. While there
may be a sad dearth of statesmen in
this country just at this time who
may be available, it must strike an
intelligent citizen with the idea that
we have got on Il last legs alto
gether when such a statesman as
young Lincoln al be seriously talk,
ed about as a candidate. Why,
Henry Clay tried three times, and
Daniel Webster as many more, after
thirty years Of as Jealous service and
able craftsmanship as the world has
seen, and yet failed to reach q posi-
ton that this political aspirant pro-
poses to jump into without even hay
ing exhibited the first qualities for
the place either as q citizen or a pub
lie official? These are not the times
and the %country's interests cannot
permit the election of Presidents up-
on mere sentiment, and Mr.. Robert
Lincoln would do well to bide his
time until he can acquit himself of
something that will entitle him to
consideration, besides his fathers
name.
The Republican Congressional
Committee are in q peck of trouble
over the discovery all at once that
their CONNECTION with the political
machinery of their party is in con
travention Of the Civil Service law,
which makes them amenable to all
the pains and penalties incident to
its infraction. The eleventh section
of the law expressly hits them, and
Senator Haw!ey admits that the
duties Of the committee cannot be
performed without the Inevitable
following OF a term in the penitenti
airy. To see such men rs HawIey.
Sabin, Logan, Frye and Don Gamer
on in company with the House Mem,
bers of the Committee all going to
the penitentiary, would lie a sight
entitled to our commiseration, how