The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-10-11

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for any friend of reform to justify the sup.
port of one who, like Mr.. Blaine, as Speaker
Of the House, delayed its progress for years,
when, tn use the language of the New York
Tribune, Of June 1874: "Mr. Blaine. with
distinguished ability appointed a COM
mittee on that subject (civil service reform)
which strangled the reform and scalped it,
aud then executed war dance over it,"
No stronger contrast can be presented than
that of his principal opponent, who has
been the faithful and efficient promoter of
the reform and has not hesitated for its sake
to ALLEVIATE powerful sections of bis own
party, from whose hostility thus aroused
the Republicans draw their strongest hopes
Of success in the pending elestion.
Not the least Of the material interests in
yolved in the canvass are those which
would be at the mercy OF the foreign policy
of the Executive if it should fall into the
hands Of Mr.. Blaine. During the few
months in which, three years ago, he oc
cupied the Depart ment Of State, he deyel
oped brilliant incapscity which is full of
pregnant warnings for the future. Weneed
only refer to his neglect to vindicato the
rights of American citizens imprisoned
abroad without trial, while inviting a re-
buff from England by his blunde-s over
the Clnyt on. Bulwer Treaty; to his uncolled
for interference with Mexico about the
Gsutemela boundry, resulting in another
and even more decided rebuff and to his
converting his high Office into a claim
agency for adventures in his guano policy
with unhappy Peru. With ali intellect so
unbalanced at the head Of affairs, the coun
try could never feel secure that 1t might at
not at any moment fn6 itself involved in
complications rendering war virtually un-
aYoidable, and oil industrial and merchan-
tile interests would suffer incidentally from
this prolonged and continued uncertainty.
Yet above all in its importance is the is.
sue which the Republican party raised
when it nominated as its candidate a man
convicted out OF his own mouth of prostitut-
in fol gain the public trusts confided to
him. We fail TO see how any citizen can
read the correspondence between Mr.. Blaine
and Mr. Warren fisher, Jr., with the evil
dence taken by the Judiciary Committee
of the Forty, fourth Congress, and not be
convinced that Mr.. Blaine was eager to sell
his official position and use bis official in
IF L..
eyer manner might best serve his personal
interests. Whether it was in Little Rock
bonds, or National bank charter, or a
share in the Mort ern Pacific Railroad, he
exhibited hirasei as an active trader when
eyer official influence was to be exchanged
for money or moneys worth. Nor wac his
position improved by his attempts at de.
fence, consisting of falsehood evasion, and
refusal to explain on the ground that these
were his "private af'tirs, as if the Speak
er of the House of Representatives could
have any "ai!airs" Of business involving
his personal honesty and official honor, too
"private" for acknowledgment and ex
PLANTATION. Conspicuous us he has been in
Congress, Mr.. Blaine's name is not prom-
nently connected with single act of well
devised statemanship; he has risen from
poverty to wealth on a meagre Congression-
al salary, and the revelations of his CORES
pondence suggests the way in which that
wealth has probably been acquired. These
charges are directly relevant to his candid
acy;they have not been newly sprung on the
country for political purposes in the heat of
a presidential campaign.
The nomination of such man for the
highest honor in the land is in itself
challenge to the conscience OF every voter.
1t shows the degradation to which our po-
litical life has sunk when shrewd mana
gers can persuade themselves that the
American people are too obtuse to care for
official integrity in their rulers. II that
persuasion should be justified by success in
November--If the people decide that
huckster of official influence shall occupy
the chair of Washington, it is impossible to
oyerestlmate the lasting aud deplorable in
huence which such an example will exert
on the future of the nation The RepublI-
can party triumphed because it was the
party of moral ideas. II has now. by the
selection of its standard bearer become the
party orimmoral ideas, and only defeat ca n
regenerate it.
This Committee has delayed its appeal to
its low-cilzens to see whether anv ex.
PLANTATION OF the charges against Mr.. Blaine
would be made which would relieve him
from their weight, but the apologies offered
thus far haYe only admitted the truth Of
the accusations, while seeking to extenua te
them Believing therefore that he is unfit
for the lofty position to which be asprcs,
and that the ticket is not improved by the
wee presidential candidate, the Committee
confidently anticipates that the result Of
| the canvass will show that the independent
strength is sufficient either to force the Re-
| publican party to reform itself, or To jusiif
the formation of a new organization which
shall fitly represent the higher political as
! piratIons which are to dominate the future.
Co operation and correspondence are so
licited from all citizens who share in these
views.
By order Of the Committee,
HENRY c. LEA, President.
LINCOLN L. EYRE, Secretary.
PLAYING W0RKINGMEN AS FOOLS.