San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-09-11
MARCOS COUNTY TEXAS THURSDAY
NO. 40.

restored 10 tno Oniou ou ooueitioAA sn"s s1~Bs~
suffrage should be secured; but their restorA-'
ton was left entirely TO their option, and 70
long As they chose 10 reject tho condition.
specified the negroes were completely ~
their mercy. What was wanted 10 give
complete validity and force to this plan was
an amendment making II merely provision
al, and providing that pending the decision
Of the question the negroes should have the
ballot. Without this amendment they were
turned adrift and helpless; but when Il wss
proposed Mr.. Blaine voted against II and did
verything in his power TO defeat Il. hwas
adopted in spite Of his opposition, q the
Congressional Record will ahow but refer
to it as an an illustration Of his statesmAn-
ship and of his fidelity to the negro in the
time Of his greatest peril. do not lose
sight OF Mr.. Blaine's magnetism, which q
so often dwelt upon by his friends. !
admit that he is magnetic. There must be
some explanation Of his hold upon his party,
and in the absence OF other assignable rear
sons accept this. He draws people TO him
surprisingly, including honest men and
rogues, saints andsinners, native aud adopt
ed citizens. But the Government OF the
United States Is not carried on by magnet
ism. The Fathers of the Republic never
dreamed Of an idea SO perfectly original and
refreshing. What the country needs In
President Is statesmanship, solid sense, and
an honest purpose. admit, too, that he 10
brilliant man but brilliancy is no more
needed In the conduct Of public Affairs than
magnetism. II might render Mr.. Blaine
very picturesque and spectacular, ~ We
have seen him through the dissolving views
of his career in the State Department; but
the American people are not In love with
such pageantries. They would much pre-
fer an honest man without brilliaucy TO .
brilliant man without honesty. Kindred
observations apply to the efforts Of Mr..
Blaine's friends to have him pose before tho
country al q ''Plumed Knight" This may
ickle the Imagination Of certain classes.
but tho days OF knight errantry are ended,
add neither the knight nor his plume is
needed In the sober and unsentimental work
Of American politics.
MR.. BLAINE AS A RHroRMER.
What is his record as reformerp Has
he ever been heard Of AZ an advocate of civil
service reform prior to the date of his letter
of acceptance 2 He was silent during tho
Jubilee of roguery which signalized the two
administrations Of General Grant, and has
remained so ever since, but he is not wholly
without record. In 1876, while Speaker
of the House, he 30 organized the Com
mittee ON Civil Service Reform that nine OF
its eleven members were uncompromjsing
foes of tho policy, and two lukewarm friends
Under the lead Of this committee the House
refused any appropriation 10 pay the expen-
ses Of the Civil Service Commission, through
which the reform was at that time aband-
~. 1aa haan hoforo t6Q
country over sixteen years, during which h
and received the attention Of our foremost
public men. Politicians have tried to get
rid of IL, but they have been compelled to
face II, while it's settlement on Just princi-
Piles has become inevitable. But II, during
all these years, Mr.. Blaine has at any time
favored the reform he has admirably suc-
ceeded in keeping IL secret Let me add
that in his frequent references to the spoils
system, In the volume referred to, he mo-
where condemns IT, but evidently regards u
as the natural and unavoidable incident OF
practical politics In the United States, while
among his most active and Jealous suppor-
ters are to be found Robson, Elklns, Clayton,
Dorsey, Brady, and the very worst elements
In American political life.
HIS RELATIONS TO CORPORATIONS.
Has Mr.. Blaine at any time shown his
hand in opposition to the growing power OF
our great railways oyer the Government,
through which 30 many millions Of acres Of
the peoples patrimony have been with
held from settlement and tillage, and 80
many of our public men debauched2 On
the contrary, he has been the steadfast
friend and ally Of these corporations In
every time Of need. While in the, Senate
he opposed the Edmunds- Thurman bill re-
auiring the Pacific Railroads TO establish
sinking funds for the payment Of their debt
10 the Government, and dishonesty filed
his pockets while in the House with money
received from one of these corporations for
services voluntarily rendered while Speaker,
as shall presently show. II there IL any
public man in the Union who is well under-
1to' the right hand man Of Jay Gould
reat railway corporations Of the
stoo,. their unfiinching friend under
and tho q. man is Jas. q.
country, ana 49,. /" the faintest
all circumstances. TIM. their
Blaine. Their has never beeI
suspicion as 10 his perfect loyalty to 80,
interests, and the conduct of his friends In
now parading him as the champion Of actual
settlers" and the foe Of these land grabbing
monopolies, supplies US with as fno q mo-
sale Of knavery and impudence as we can
ever hope 10 see,
He is man of genius, and has long been
q great power In his party. He has seen
corruption and greed grasping all the ma
tural agencies Of society for their own
baleful purposes. He has had great and
multiplied opportunities for thwartlng the
enemies Of the people and serving the poor
In their hard fight with corporate npacity;
but he has lifted neither hand nor voice in
their behalf, while always playing his part
As q shifty ally Of organized cupidity and
pelf
Mn. BLAnE's RAILROAD TRANSACTIONS.
And here the way Is naturally opened for
the character Of Mr. Blaine as
Illustrated by his jobbery in Congress- I
know that In dealing with this topic We are
warned by leading Republican politicians
md newspapers 10 beware. They remind
ls Of what they call the campaign Of mud''
against General Garfield In 1850, and Of
his triumph at the p0lls, while they hope
.hus 10 divert atteation from the charges
how urged against Mr.. Blaine. As 10 the
.Ampaign Of 1850, / answer. a. did AZ the
ime. that Il any mud vas flung al General
3Arheld II had prsvAiOudy been czrted By
be Republicans themselves and dumped
ipOn his doorstsps. An the charges we're
q Republicans percentage and supported By
2epublicAn proof and they we're not
nsfectuAl believe Il entirely safs 70 sy
hat but for DOr.sy's money IN Indiana and
Iindrsd nlustr1fions of fbs Rspublicsn
,ospel q - free hallot- ths Denocrztic
ickss would have tr1unphed
I Do Bot deem i neosszary 10 disc1a Mr.
3lains's rnilrond trEns.cfions 81 sny l<nGfh.
ne dst2ilsd history a his psrforn<nn.s \
zTidly fDding ~ vny - IL publie. snd
hAn only rsfsr brisfy - fbs s.-sufi.l f.rt.
ID he sEi8s1os ~ ~hich fhry srs r-pPort-