Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-07

n","'. y"ush, hau TO be- dragged down
INTO the dustto meet his. We have h III" 20
w'nees one Q! Those Infamous attemn,s NJ
E .s w wnnvn even the most passlon.
s'r n,W v, psIusehship cannot excuse.
Bnf u The mere nomination n, NJ mi,
has acco mplshed this, what wonia -, p,a ,,'
effects OF his election 10 the nres,d .u ~
Imagine that event 10 have taken ni.co
Imagine, thsn, one OF the older mo, .n,o,,,,
Us, WIN the old.fashioned notjons ~ b.t'
Ter times, TO meet comnanv ., $3.50
able, active, and aspiring polii,cian. and
10 discourse 10 them about their dnt;os a,
public men. He would, OF course ,non'
uon .ore"'os' anong those duties un,ela,h
uo,o.on ~ 'nc PuDhc Interest, serum.
lous honesty, and the maintersnco -, w.
highest standard OF official bonov VI .uo
must not be surprised n an ,
swcr Ike this comes bacl :. Ola
friend, you are behind The tjms, IT,.
WA good tAlk years ago. but only ph,r;.
secs and dudes speak so NOV III
they. you should know. are very rIaic,,n',s
persons. As for us, we are gong into III
tics TO make money. We see yarjons ch.n.
nels Of usefulness there and we are no,
going 10 be deadheads in anytbinc tho,
offers itself" "Buf," you object. ..ths
Hcple VIII never tolerate such thing
What WIN The answer be? lyon are he.
| h'"" e"N ''noN aSaiH' ola friend. Iaars
nco The people might not hsye federated !,
but now they do. They rather ike !, ~ ~,
you know The story OF James G.. RI,ineS
Ills case was clear enough. EyervboJv
knew That he had been on The make, when
he was speaker OF the House. There were
| the Muliigan letters and the testimony and
the iact that lie had made a large fortune
without any business. There could no no
doubt about 1t. And what baDneneJ,
The Republican party nominated him for
the presidency. And Mr.. Evarts made
long speech for him, with several Joke, in
II. And those who protested against il
were laughed at as dudes and Phsri,ces.
| And he was elected President, and called
The great representative American. You
Gee the American people like this sort O, |
thing. This is the way To wealth and TO |
public honor at the same time, - in James |
q. Blaine's case. That Il what we want.
too. 1t Is the road to the presidency. And |
some OF us msy got there in the same way. !
Let us lie 'On the make, then" Whist |
would you snswerl Would not in case OF |
Mr.. Blaine's election nil this be true, every |
word OF IL?
TIE CORRUPTION OP BUSINESS.
But more would be true: and here ask |
for The attention Of businessmen. DO you |
think that the cODtagiOn Of that example |
would remain confined TO the political |
field! Do you think that the sanction and |
encouragement. aye, the Qualification,
which g being on the make" would receive
bv the popular vote for Sir. Blaine, would
not be noticed by your cashiers and your
t'Ook-keepers and your statesmen and your
clerksy Will not many Of them ask them
selves why they should be more conscien-
tious in the discharge Of their business
ANTI and t1a nf tlaf- III
tunilleS than the man whom the American
people bonored with the presidency was
in the use OF his opportunities as
Speaker Of the House OF Representa-.
ttves: Have you not had enough
OF that sort OF thing? DO you want to give
1t an additional stimulus by letting every
enc IN the country who handles other peO-
pies money or goods know that tho Amcri-
can peOple regard being "on the make"
hy hook or crook rather rs an elegant &C.
c0mplshment which will aOt stand in the
vsy OF the highest honors1
Now, what does all this signify? 1t is
what will follow il in electDg a man with
notorious and conspicuous record, such
As Mr.. Blaine's, to the presidency OF the
United States, the American people take
tile fatal step OF declaring that the corrupt
abuse OF public power, the prostitution OF
official trust for private gain. will no
longer be branded with dishonrr. but will
henceforth not even stand n the way OF q
mans promotion to the highest Office OF the
republic.
There is corruption enough now. But
when the American people shalt have pro-
claimed that they care nothing for proper
sense OF honor in their public men and the
public service, then crop OF corruption
and decentralization will ripen such 4s we
NJ al |
now thst the money kings and the great
corporations have too much power in our
public concerns. But when The American
people by solemn popular election shall
have taught oui politicians. young and old,
that they can make themselves rioh by the
prostitution OF official trust without fear Of
disgrace, that they may have pelf and
public honor st the same time, there will
be no limit 10 the corruptiny power OF
wealth, and ysur dreaded money kings
and corporations will do In open daylight
what they now attempt in the dark. Cor
rUpton will irresistibly "broaden down
from precedent to precedent" Its food
may overwhem all that we hold dear and
ore proud OF to-day.
THE WORST OF ALL EVILS.
In view OF all this, OF the gl,ring unfit
ness of the nomination and Of the iesrful
Decentralization and disgrace the election OF
such candidate ty the American people
would inlct upon This republic, DO not
hesitate TO declare as my honest conviction
that the consequences OF Mr.. Baine's cleo
tor, immediate snd remote. would be far
worse, infinitely more dangerous. 10 our
future as a nation, than anything Demo-
cratic administration could, under present
circumstances. bring with it, ! mean eX-
nctly what | say. Take all the things
which the most ianatical Republicans pre-
diet and the mosi nervous Of them fear *
TO the possible results Of Democratic sue
ces.-a precipitste disturbance OF our tariff
policy, renewed troubles in the South q
clean sweep and new deal In all the Fed
ersl Oiiiccs-cOnSequences which | by no
ID, ans ADMIT as probable with such Pre-
sIdeDt ~ the Democrats have nominated ct
tho head Of sifars-but admit for argu-
mcnfs sake that ali these things would fol-
low. yet all she evils thus predicted-buSi-
ness confusion and financial loss, violence
ia Il e South, ard ar her carnival OF spoils
In tie Federal Chces-would only be Of =
temporary nature. The energy OF our
business community and the resources OF
the country would quickly help Us over our
financial embarrassment, and bad laws can
be changed by amendment and repeal.
New disorders in the South and q sp0Ils
carnival would quickly provoke ali over-
whelmirg reaction, and the guilty party
would soon lose power again. All thsseap-
pretended result. OF a Democratic victory,
II they really did occur, would, therefore, be
only temporary. Subsequent scilo1 would
obliterste them to the last trace. They
W uld be like flesh. wounds, painful enough
ut the time, but capable Of easy and per- ,
maDent healing. But you let the American
7 eople declare that IN the bestowsl OF their {
highest trusts and distinctions they care
nothing for official honor; that gross and
systs Ipxtic prostitution OF official power {
for private gain. even in the mos, import
ant positions in the Government. 10 not re-
garded by the people as an offence disquali-
flying a public man for the most exalted
honor in the land, tho presidency OF the
United SLates-let the American people de-
clare that, and you have injected iAto our
system the virus OF a disease which Is not
Of mere passing nature, which will not ,
be easily and permanently cured by mere
r, action, but which will tester on and on,
attacking tho very fountain Of our vitality.
This is not mere flcsE-wound--thi Is poi