The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-26
LETT Us HAVE A CLEAN PRESIDENT.

LET Us HAVE A CLEAN PRESIDENT.
It matters little what Mr. St. Johns private
life may be, or what his character as man IS.
1t is little, if any, more important what
General Buffers reputation is as q husband
and gentleman in the nobler sense But IN
the cases Of Mr.. Blaine and Mr.. Cleveland the
circumstances are vastly different. St John
and Butler will float for time in the tide OF
politics only to be stranded finally and re-
turn to their own communities It Is evl-
dent, however, that Mr. Blaine or Mr.. CleVe-
| land will occupy the exalted Office OF Fresl-
dent of this great and growing Republic, and,
as such, will be it's representative character
| before the world. It is, then, question OF
moment TO all moral men that these two can
| didates at least should be as nearly blameless
as possible in their private lives. We, as
! Nation. cannot afford to wink at social sin by
| ignoring fragrant breaches Of morality IN our
public servants. There are many among our
| public men whose lives have been free from
the sin Of which we speak; men whose self
respect, whose manly honor and whose family
ties have held them blameless in this respect
These are they from whom selections
| should be made, and it is eminently
proper that social purity should be demanded
as one of the requisite qualifications Of candi-
dates for high honors before the people
Without knowing anything concerning the
truth of the allegations made against the
Democratic candidate, and without at this
| time venturing any opinion as to the trust
worthiness Of the testimony offered, the Jour
nal regrets that no unqualified denial has been
made. Mr.. Cleveland might have been spared
personal consideration of the matter had his
friends seen fit to take it off his hands An
emphatic denial from them, while it might
not have stopped the circulation Of the scan
dial by unprincipled papers, would have prac-
tically killed its effect and no reputable man
or paper would have been found willing to aid
in the propagation Of the story. Even as it is,
it is not probable that many votes will be lost
to that party through the revelations made
Partisan prejudice is too strong and the desire
of success too intense to allow such attacks to
ALLEVIATE the allegiance of many Democrats. 1t
is folly to expect it. 1t is within the bounds
of reason to say that not less than 4, 900, 900
voters would cast their ballots for Mr.. Cleveland
even though the story Of his immortality
should be substantiated beyond question.
The thoughtful citizen looks beyond the
election to the time when Blaine or Cleveland
shall become President. What would be our
feelings, then, if such stories of private inn
morality be uncontradicted9 What would be
the effect upon our national pride after the
prejudice of the campaign shall have spent its
forceg How will we stand before the world if
it shall develop that we have chosen an un-
clean man as our chief executive, man
whose influence is hostile to home and to
womanly purity Aside from party sympa-
thy we are glad that Mr.. Blaine has been able
to speak unequiyocally concerning the
infamous story sought to be started against
him and the mother Of his children He in
stantly said of it: ssThe story is utterly and
abominably false in every statement and in
every implication Again, in conversation
with friend, he declared: 81 defy any liy-
ing being to put finger on an act of mine
involving my domestic relations that would
not have proclaimed to the entire country.
These words, uttered with evident sincerity,
must be accepted as the truth in this matter.
He puts the burden of proof where it
belongs on the slanderer and no decent
man need hesitate where to stand until the
issue be settled. The respectable element Of
the country, Republicans and Democrats,
would be glad to hear as hearty denial from
Mr.. Cleveland, or his friends, and thus put an
| end to one of the most serious charges that
could be brought against an honorable man
We want decent campaign, and to that END
must insist on clean, moral men being chosen
as candidates. Recrimination will accomplish
nothing, except to increase the disgrace thai
must be felt BY all. A thousand false stories
about Blaine's private life will not change The
fact that no one personally acquainted will
the facts Of the Buffalo story has yet denied
its essential features. Let this be done now
if possible, not 50 much that we may have
clean campaign, but as an assurapce that, il
the remote contingency of Democratic sue
cess, we shall have clean President and on,
that the wives and mothers Of the country
would not feel scandalized in seeing at tn,
head Of national affairs. We need clear
President much more than clean cam
/ na;on