The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-10-11
'Ehe Necessity for. 81 Change.
From the New York Herald.

From the New " ork Herald
That Mr.. Blaine is totally unfit
man for the Presidency has now been
sufficiently established to impress ev-
cry citizen who has the welfare and
honor Of the country at heart. Mr..
Blaine's election is impossible, except
through the successful corruption Of
large masses of voters, which we do
not believe can be effected.
1t is time for the Republican party
to take vacation. 1t has fallen into
the hands of its worst men, and until
it expels these it is disabled form serv-
ing the country. Controlled. as it is
now, it is incapable of giving the
country honest or economical govern
ment. The forces which have in the
last eight, or indeed twelve, years
seized upon it will not tolerate reform
of abuses. The star route jobbers
fostered under Hayes, against the pro
test OF General Hawley and other Re
publicans, defied justice under Ar
ther and are now openly supporting
Blaine.
Nearly four hundred millions ofdol
lars have been spent on the navy
since the war, and we have not doz
en- seaworthy ships to show for it
But all attempts in the last eight year
to bring the navy jobbers to justice
have been defeated, and Robson anC
Chandler are to-day among the lead
ing supporters of the Blaine ticket.
A Republican House passed will
ieers, over the Presidents veto, mon
strous River and Harbor bill of eigh
teen millions, and at the ensuing elec
ton almost every man who was prom
inent in pushing that job was eth
er refused denomination or was de
feated at the polls by indignant vot
ers. But no sooner was Blaine nomi
mated than prominent Blaine Re
publican rose III the House and de
clared that the next Congress, if Re
publican, would adopt River an,
Harbor bill. not of eighteen but G
thirty-fve millions, and, to show tha
he spoke by authority, read chapte
from Mr.. Blaine's book and made
part of his speech.
Two or three committees Of Cor
gress-when the democrats cOntrolle
, the House-have exposed the number
less corruptions in the marshals' off
ces in different parts of the country
But only the other day CherC
kee chief complained to the HERAL
3 that the poor Indians are to thi
day dragged two or three hundre
e miles away from their homes o
: frivulous charges "to swell the ma
shals' fees"
A law of Congress directs the Firf
+ Comptroller of the Treasury "to max
v an annual report to Congress of sue
officers as have failed to make settl
A mentlof their accounts for the prece'
ing year" No such report has bee
a made since 1869. The amount of d
falcations can be ascertained only frol
V the suits brought or the reports Of Il
= Solicitor Of the Treasury. These r
ports show that suits have bee
Y brought for official defalcations sinC
r 1869 to the amount of nearly sever
g. teen millions in fifteen years and
a careless have been the prosecutions
o such cases that, out of SO, ,345,729 thu
% robbed from the people by faithle
+ officials, only SIC, ,405 was recovered
n In these statements the frauds
" the whiskey ring, the star route rim
" the Burnside, Howgate, navy, medic'
United States marshals and 9th
ID frauds are not counted at all, and {
At none Of these have the Republica
N either recovered the money stolen
punished the thieves.
Surely it is time for change-tin
to "have Il look at the books"