The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-25
HON. THAD. C. POUND.
Reasons Why He Cannot Support
the @Plumed Knight"
A Very Interesting Letter from n DIstin-
guished Republican Lesder--He Pre-
fers Cleveland to Blaine and
Hendricks to Logan.
MILWAUKEE. Wis. Aug. % 1ssL =

Oedr str: Your favor OF the I'd inst. asking
an expression of my views on the political sit
uation. is received. So many friends, of va
ried political bias, have addressed me In pSr-
SON and by letter, touching my attitude on the
Presidential Question that am constrained
to make pretty tull response to your kind
inquiry; with permission to publish the same.
II you think II wise 10 do so.
After much earnest and solicitouS delibera-
ton, deem II TO be my duty. while abattng
naught of loyalty to the Republican party, but
rather promote its true purpose anS
strengthen it for future good work, to sup
port the Democratic nominee. Governor
Cleveland for President at the approaching
my conscience rebels against, the action OF
the Republican Convention in the nomination
| OF Mr.. Blaine, and without arrOgatin2 for my.
| self wisdom superior to q majority of repre-
| sentative Republicans, convened TO voice the
determination OF my party. am compelled 70
| duty in this single and extraordinary instance
| Being a lifelong Republican and the recipient
| of many distinguished honorS, State and Ma
tienal it is due my political associates, SO Oft
| en- my cordial supporters, and myself, that
| the reasons for departure from conventional
| CO operation be frankly stated
No one will deny that the essential WORTH,
4 if not the perpetuity of the Republic depends
| upon the maintenance OF political and per
| sonal integrity, as well rs prudence and
| justice in its legislative judicial and admins
] trative branches. 1t is equally true that de-
| lection and correction of croOkedneSS and in
| eminent are most difficult, while long unin-
| JerruDted control is certain 10 invite abuse OF
/ party has enjoyed nearly twenty-fOur years
4 OF continuous administrative authority, and
while lis history is Respondent with glorious
achievements and hallowed by memories of
unrIvaled craftsmanship, patriotism and
prOweSS, there has crept into its human ma
| chinery many grIevOHS abuses and ailments.
| demanding correction and cure, which may
| or may not be accomplished by the party in
which they are engendered- Happily, the
work of publication and reform has
| been progressing most satisfactorily with.
/ in our party, under the present Chick
Magistrate and with such eminent success -
| 70 command the uneXampled approval OF thu
press, the people and our party, expressed
| through State Conventions, and by the Re-
| publican National Convention in the eXtraor~
! binary declaration that 1--WE believe his emf
/ nent services are entitled to and will receive
| the hearty approval of every citizen. What,
| selfl ManifeSty the continuance of the
| faithful servant Common honesty and q de-
cent recognition of fidelity and wisdom de-
mand it. Little short of hypocrisy would
| deny it. But being denied, the alternate
| should be man whose public life IS guar
anty that the good work will go on. He
| should be the highest and best type of pOlit-
| ical integrity, craftsmanship and Republican
| principles. Mr.. Blaine is not such a man, but,
| politics that Is menacing to public morals and
| integrity in government. With long pub
lie career, mainly distinguished for a sort OF
| declamatory and pugillsuc statecratt.
| he is not the inspiration of single
| valuable policy, or the author of an
| important statute; but, on the contrary. has
! often suggested and supported unwise and
bad and opposed good, legislation With q
record clouded by suspicion and accusation
| of JObbery and corruption undefended, no
brings to us personal antagonismS which
have torn and weakened our party In the
past; invading the Administration of the
| lamented Garfield with demands of personal
| vengeance so virulent as to int1ame the
| spirit of assassination, and eliminating in
| the defeat OF Judge FOlger and conSequent
| election of Grover Cleveland. Governor OF
/ the Empire State. Mr.. Blaine's friends justi-
| fled their detection, which defeated most
A oil kv-N rNla 80 HnNRA in ana
| proxy at the State Convention. Such excuse
| pales to whiteness, when compared with the
! dishonOfable methods employed to secure Mr.
! Blaine's nomination. Here many delegates
were treated as merchandise to be barter2d
for wine, money or promise of position.
! But returning to the candidate. The ac-
| knOwledged leader OF his party ut home. the
| Pine-tree prohibition state of Mainel he reg
listers an ignOminous defeat for his state.
| only four years ago. pending the Presidential
| campaign, so Gisheartening to our party's
| cause, that only the timely and stalwarE
| efforts of Grant and Conkling could have 70
| deemed the field and secured Garheld's cleo
| tion-a work soon rewarded by the galIinE
| knight, when opportunity (as Garf1elds adj
| WISER was given him. by dealing a cOwardly
/ blow from ambush to his old antagonist, ROS-
| cOe COnkling.
Himself a speculator. enjoying a fortune
| too great to have been acquired by honest in
| dustry, legitimate business enterprise or his
| cOuntry's service at five thousand dollars y
year. he sympathizes with and'pronts by spec
! ulatve, stock jObbing and gambling methods
! of acquiring wealth; methods which have
| wrought ruin disgrace and business disasters
| beyond computation; schOoled youth and
persuaded middle-age to avoid honest and
useful industry; made suicide and insanity
| commonplace, unsettled values, placed the
| fruits of honest toll in the power of the
/ GOulds and Armours to bear down or bull uD
the markets, as within or intere It may dictate;
| methods which recently gave US but an ex-
| aggerated illustration OF their tniquitous
| consequences in the Grant Ward if-
! teen million dollar failure and rob
| berry Reference to Blaine's Congress
| 10 sr1is- .la
| latiOn, corporate exactioEs, ETC., will readily
| satisfy the honest inquirer of his uniform sup
| port of mOnOpOlieS and Indifference to the
! common veal. Little wonder that he Omits
! in bis letter to or explain the cause of the
| great disparity in the distribution OF this
| marVe,ous increase of wealth accumulated
during the period he chooses for comparison:
| that he fails to note the fact that one three
hundredth part of the 81 O00, OOO.UUO is held by
| one man, while others rank little below: and
| his own palatial residence, commanding q
rental of Sll,0O year. suggesting more than
! an average Ter capita of wealth. Little won
| der that he is silent on the subject of inter-
/ State commerce, the regulation of which Is
| demanded by all producers and Legitimate
/ traders. Great corporate interests com
mand non-interference.
! IL was a lame defense of his devotion to i'm.
| proved civil service to cite the fact that dur
! ing a prolonged pubic service he only adj
| vised the removal of -four persons" The
! expert observer will conclude that the true
| betterment of the service demanded the re-
moval of ten times four. He should have
| emphasized his position by noting the fidelIcy
| with which horde of relatives have been con-
| stantly led at the public crib, notably the IA
/ yOrite brother BOB" drawing ray for
| anothers service. Nor will the citation OF hs
| pacific assurances to Mexico quite cover uu
! his South American policy and interference
| to protect the Landrau guano scheme. Tbs
death of his servant, Hurlbut. whom hs
| feigned to rebuke, may serve to partially con-
| ceal the true inwardness OF this affair, as did
| his garbled rendering of the Aulgan letters
| first mfslead many charitable people touching
| the Little Rock bond job.
The disinQenuousnsss of his letter OF ac-
! ceptance is further betrayed by its significant
/ silence touching the events of the past three
wears. Bringing down his historic figures to
| the present would have revealed the fiction
/ involved in his statements, would have shown
| a marvellous shrinkage in nominal values,
| would have noted the downfall OF business
/ prosperity and business morals: ana would
| have pictured, as few can do so graphically
| US he, the furnace fires dying out the wheels
/ of factories standing still, wages reduced.
/ beggary usurping the place of labor bank
! and business failures, creditors and deposit
| ers wantOnly defrauded. homes lost, and
| crookedness in public affairs
Mr. Blaine is Objectionable furthermore TO-
| the company he keeps, for the friends, he
| has made" VIII the chief prom Oters OF his
| nomination be his chief advisers If elected2
! There's the rub. | need mention no names,
| but will suggest that the least Objectionable
| of his pet supporters are the ITtDEHs'S sup
| porters of Greeley in 1877, and accusers OF
| Of Blaine in 1876 and 1881, charging him with
| bribery and other penitentary crimes.
With no pronounced issues between the two
! great parties. We can safely afford 10 yield
| temporary executive control at this time 10 an
| honest man, though he be a Democrat And
| if grave questions OF public policy were a.
| ISSUE they can not be determined by the ex-
ecutive. This is the prerogatiye of Congress,
the iaw-making branch. heretofore for time,
and now. under democratic control. Ii 10
vastly more important TO good government
that the Republican party be restored to SUI
premacy in Congress, than that the admins
rat OF 10 he fp6 IN a. nth UF