The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-09-04
Buffers Letter.

General Buffers letter of acceptance |
of the Presidential nominations of the |
Anti Monopoly and Greenback parties |
or, as he puts it, his address, to his con-
stituents-is thoroughly characteristic
of the man. Like nearly everything ne
does, it is interesting. There are pass
ages in it which are strong and telling.
and which will make a marked inn
preston upon voters. 1t is undoubted-
ly designed as bid for votes; but in
this respect it does not differ from SINH
lar documents which have preceded it,
and it is only fair to say that the Cen
eral has ssput his best foot forward"
and done it in more effective fashion
than either Mr. Blaine or General LO-
gan.
The first portion of the Generals
letter is devoted to an account OF his
stewardship as a member of the Demo-
cratic National Convention which NOM
mated Governor Cleveland. He shows
that he was there made member of
the subcommittee which was chosen to
prepare tariff plank, and that, in
such committee, four of five resolutions
submittee by him were agreed to with
out division, and the fifth failed OF
adoption by tie vote. There would
certainly seem to be nothing in this
record to cause the man who made it TO
withdraw from political fellowship with
those who assisted him; yet, this is one
OF the reasons the General assigns for
his refusal to support the nominee of
the convention in which he participated.
General Butler follows this up with
recital of his failure to get the minori-
ty platform prepared adopted by the
Democratic Convention. Some OF the
matters covered by his resolutions were
dealt with clearly and fully by the ma
:ority report On the simple score of
declination to adopt his phraseology
in some parti ulars or his views in 9th
| ers, General Butler really has no great
er reason or complaintAhan any of the
members who voted for the platform
which he presented. He has, however,
the 'ght to choose the course which
seems best. and as a result OF that choice
we have his letter.
| There is a sharp contrast between
General Buffers treatment of the labor
question and. that accorded it by Mr..
Blaine. Indeed, that portion of the
letter of the former seems to have
been penned with especial reference to
the utterances of the latter. Mr. Blaine
| spoke of the rich rewards which labor
received in this country, and intimated
that any frugal man could readily. from
his savings acquire home for himself.
General Butler says: Laboring men
are out OF employment and starving,
after quarter of a century or Repub-
lican rule. We have in this
country, even in its youth, almost in
fancy as regards the life of Nat ons,
richer men than in any other country
in the world, and as poor men as any
other country in the world, however en-
slaved that country may be, for a man
can not be poorer than starvation.
General Buffers forcible presentation
of the condition of the worklngmen and
workingwomen of the United States is
strong argument against the industrial
policy which has been pursued by the
Republican party, and it shows that the
so-called protective" system, which is
the pride and boast of the Republicans,
has built up monopolies and crushed
and impoverished labor.
General Butler diplays his politi. q
sagacity in the recommendation 10 his
supporters to cont bine with the opposi
ton in order to make their influence
felt. He plainly gives his reason fol
this course, and his recommendation
will no doubt have great weight will
his followers throughout the country
Detroit Free Press.
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