Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-07-03
Curtis on Blaine.

The most reputable journal so far as
we know that has declared its inability
to support the Republican ticket is Har-
per's Weekly. Its alleged objection to
Mr.. Blaine (the real objection is that
he is an ardent supporter of Protection
to American industry while the Harpers
favor free trade) is that he has been
selfish and dishonest in his public life,
the chief basis for such charges being
found in the manner lecited below
What these allegations were, and how
completely they were disposed of at
the time, will also appear from an arti-
Gle which we quote from the Weekly
published eight years ago-edited then
as now by Mr.. Curtis:
From Harper's Weekly, May 10, 1876.
In speaking of the railroad-bond
scandal about Mr. Blaine we said that
at least it would be admitted that he
had always shown himself acute enough
to escape the traps into which the hon
| est but dull often fall If high princi-
|
| is sometimes asserted. he is merely q
politician, yet surely he is a politician
of sagacity enough to know that in pub
| lie life honesty, if nothing more, is GER
tainly good policy. The substance of
the charge against Mr. Blaine was that
when he was Speaker of the House,
and when Mr.. Thomas Scott was presi-
dent of the Union Pacific Railroad Com
| pany, he caused the company to buy
bonds to the amount of $4,000, which
were almost worthless, for S64, 900, and
| the insinuation was that this was
| bride TO secure the favor of Mr.. Blaine
| for Mr.. Scott's railway projects before
Congress. Plainly stated, this was the
charge. OF course, if believed, it was
| fatal to Mr.. Blaine; and at this time,
when the public mind is very suspicious
the mere accusation was not unlikely to
| be of great injury to him. The story
had been privately whispered, and
there had been a conference of Repub-
lican editors at Cincinnati, which end
ed by acquainting him with the rumor
| Suddenly it was made public by Dem
ocratic paper at indianapolis and in
other journals in other parts of the
| country. Then, of course, it was ech-
oed and re-echoed through the whole
press. Mr.. Blaine instantly published
an absolute and complete denial, and
having collected evidence that is appar-
emily conclusive, he made brief, clear,
simple statement in the House, which
was as thorough refutation as was ev-
er made, and, in the absence of other
evidence, leaves him unspottsd
He showed by the testimony of the
officers and bankers who had been cited
as agents that he had never received
from them, directly or indirectly, any
money, as charged Mr.. Scott, in the
most explicit manner, declared that Mr.
| Blaine had never had any transaction
whatever with him, directly or Indirect
ly, involving money or valuables of any
| kind. The treasurer of the road, Mr.
f. II. Rollins, was equally precise and
unqualified in his declaration, and
Messrs. Morton, Bliss & Co, who were
said to have been paid the money, said:
Nothing has been paid by us in any
form or ut any time, to any person or
any corporation IN which you were
known. believed or supposed to have
| any interest whatever" Mr.. Blaine
states that he bought in 1849 some
bonds of the Little Rock and Fort
Smith Railroad, which derives its fran
chise and rights entirely from the state
of Arkansas. He paid for his bonds
the price that all buyers paid, and, with
other buyers lie lost by them. His loss
was more than $4,000 All the bonds
that he ever bought he held until the
company was reorganized IN 1874, when
he exchanged them for stocks and
bonds in the new concern, which he
still holds. When the Atlantic and Pa
cihe and Missouri, Kansas and Texas
roads bought some of the securities of
the Little Rock road, MIR. Blaine knew
of the negotiation, but none of the
bonds sold to those roads belonged to
him, nor did he have single dollars
pecunary interest in the transaction.
This is the statement of MIR. Blaine.
supported by unquestionable testimony.
He has not sought investigation because
he knew by experience how long he
would have TO wait for report; and
while awaiting the slow action of a
committee. with the charges still pend
ing, he could not have published the
evidence which he has now submitted
He knew, moreover, although he does
not say, and everybody knows. that the
Democratic investigating committee
would have delayed any report until af-
ter the Cincinnati Convention. as fatal
blow to Mr.. Blaine possible candidacy.
But if the House only wishes to open
an inquiry he will gladly give all the as
sStance he can to make it rigorous and
thorough. In justice to Mr.. Blaine we
present the concluding summary of his
speech:
LET me now, Mr.. Speaker, briefly
summarize what | presented; First.
that the story of my receiving $4,000
or any other sum of money. or anything
of value, from the Union Pacific Rail-
road Company, directly or indirectly,
or in any form, is absolutely disproved
by the most conclusive testimony. Sec
ond, that no bond of mine was ever
sold to the Atlantic and Pacific. or the
Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad
Company, and that not a single dollar
\ of money from either of these compa-
MES ever went to my profit or benefit
Third, that instead of receiving bonds
of the Little Rock & Fort Smith road as
! A gratuity, never had one except at