Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-08-16

and disbursement Of immense revenues.
opening numberless new fields for official
corruption and spoliation. Il Is not sur.
prising that American politicians and
ststeAmsn, arising mostly from the ranks
OF frugality aud poverty, should give
vent !, unpriucipIed greed. when untold
national wealth was placed at their dis
posal as the guardians Of tho nation. II
" bad enough to seek ofiics from motives
Of ambition. II IL FAR worse when II Is
sought for purposes Of plunder. The
Republ can party itself, in the course OF
years. has come TO certain state Of self.
consciousness. and inds large number
OF its active agents pursuing politics as
mere buccaneers aud pirates. The very
fountains Of legislation are poisoned by
bribery. Public measures are shaped
and controlled by private interest.
James q. Blaine. with bis ill-gotten
gains during the war. and bis official
masipuiations In behalf Of railroads, for
purposes Of private speculation. as
shown In the Malligan letters, Is but
most br lliant example OF Wall street In
politics. The examples Of this class are
so numerous that they become q glitter
ing generality.
1,it sarpri,ipg that the party should
reveal It's conscience, aud that vast
number VI honcst men should make
common cause against the pirates. Is II
st all probable that Blaine would carry
his iarty, ia he does, did every man
know tho full measure Of his barter Of
public interests for private gainl No.
Blaine Is supported In his patty because
bis adhercnts are generally blinded as TO
his oiIic.ul vcnnlity. III the spirit OF
genuine hero worshipep they place
their idol before the people.
Tho platforms OF the two parties
speak language largely In common, ex-
cept M we read each In the light OF the
history Of the party presenting IL. In
this light the Republican tariff becomes
rrohibitory wall sround the continent,
aud within there fourish innumerable
industrial monopolies, whose paid
agents throng the halls Of legislation
and control the sources Of power in the
interest Of favored classes, whose in.
creasing wealth adds new burdens to
those already borne by the people. In
the light OF Republican history the Re-
publican platform denotes, not only o
continuance, but an increase Of monopo.
lies and the more glaring abuses Of the
party.
The policy of q party is largely deter.
mined by the character OF ths men who
are elected by II 10 the management Of
the government. The policy OF the Re.
publicsn party under tho management
Of the reform element would be q very
different political quantity from what II
would be under the auspices Of Blaine
aud Logan. In the latter case, all the
webs of private jobbing aud public
plunder will remain and multiply. In
the former case very many fragrant
abuses would be swept away. The In.
dependent element OF the Republican
party takes issue on the men set in
nomination. They claim, and justly
too, that the policy necessarily inaugu-
ratel by such men will perpetuate all
the worst vices Of the party.
The independents feel that with Cleve-
land the policy Of the party will be in
the direction Of retrenchment and re.
form. Cleveland's character and career
are such as to inspire confidence as to
the things most demanded OF him.
These things are mainly plain,
honest common sense firmness In the
discharge Of executive duty. Iii, silly
Weakness to expatiata on the brilliant
statesmanship demanded Of the Execu-
tive. This is Blaine delusion. We
need intelligent honesty most Of all. As
to genuine intelligence we consider
Cleveland the superior, but the quality
most needed 10 honestyj such ss Lin.
coin brought TO the discharge Of
his duties. This species of
plaio, strong intelligent honesty
Is what characterizes Cleveland, and by
this he Is peculiarly qualified, at the
present time, for the executive position.
There are questions Of statecraft, md
questions OF governmental policyj but
all questions at the present time give
way to the all important requisite Of
rigid honesty in all departments. This
being given, the whole public policy.
and public service will find stimulus and
scope for needed reform.
A REPUBLICAN,.