The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-15
A Point In Mr.. TiIden's Letter.

In the letter of Mr.. Tilden, read at
the banquet of the Iroquois Club at Chr
cago, there Is q point worthy of the
thoughtful attention of all who feel 3
deep interest in the stability of repub-
lican institutions. The point is that at
the beginning Of the csnvasses the OPP
position must embrace two-thirds of the
voters TO maintain majority at an
election. This is Mr.. Tilden's opinion,
which. he says. he expressed as far
back as 1876. If this opinion is well
founded, it is easy to see how difficult
it is for the party out of power to get
control of the Government. Mr.. Tilden
has made politics q study for many
years, and there is. perhaps. no man
living better qualified to express such
an opinion than he is. He has seen the
influence of money and patronage in
elections, and he knows how powerful
they are. In National contests the Adj
ministration does not take the position
of an impartial observer, but enters the
arena and battles for the success of its
party with all the resources at its COM
mand. These resources are enormous.
There are more than one hundred thou
sand office-holders who not only exert
their personal influence in behalf of their
party, in their respective localities,
but they contribute a large per cent.
of their earnings to the same
cause. So eager are they for
success that they are not always scrupu-
lous about the means they employ.
Money and Offices are among the
weapons which they use. 1t has been
shown beyond question that in 1880 the
elections N the October States were
carried for the Republicans by liberal
use of money. The October victories
contributed largely to the November
success; and who is there who does not
know that every agency controlled by
the Government was forced to assist in
giving the Republican party victory
in November. At the dinner of the Re-
publican chiefs at Delmonico's to cele-
brate that victory, Dorsey. of Star-route
fame, was openly complimented for the
skillful way in which he used what the
assembled chiefs were pleased to call
soap" 1t will never be known, prob
ably, how large a part of the millions
stolen from the Government by means
of Star-route and other frauds was used
to elect Garfield. Although Mr.. Dorsey
has pretended to tell good deal, he has
been very careful to give no in
formation on that point. Mr.. Til
den is right. The opposition party,
having only bare majority of the
voters, has no chance of getting control
of the Government. 1t must have q
majority sufficiently great to overcome
the powerful influences controlled by
the Administration. There are some
Democrats who condemn the Civil
Service law But from the standpoint
of Mr.. Tilden it is one of the wisest
laws ever enacted. If it is enforced it
will deprive the Republican party of a
great deal of its power. 1t will lessen
the number of its active workers and
cut down its corruption fund. The
form that is imperatively demanded.
The Administration ought not to be al
lowed to take part in politics. The
means it employs are demoralizing. de-
passing and corrupt. 1t acknowledges
some restraint now, but unless there is
reformation the time is coming when
no restraint of any kind will be recog-
nized. An opposition with two-thirds
of the voters at its back will not be
able to get control of the Government.
An honest Interpretation of the COnsti-
tuition and the divorce of the Admin
istration from partisan politics should
be demanded by the Democratic Ma
tionA platform. Net0S.