The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-09-05
MANKATo FREE Press
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5. 1884.
MIR. CURTIS vINDICATEs BLAINE.

" Jumpers weekly, MAY Id, lofo' IL
speaking of the railroad bond scandal
about Mr.. Blaine, we said that at least
il would be admitted that he had al
ways shown himself acute enough to
escape the traps into which the honest
but dull often fall. If high principle
should be denied to him, and ii, as is
sometimes asserted, he is merely pol
itician, yet surely he is "a politician of
sagacity enough to know that, in pub
lie life, honesty, if nothing more, is
certainly good policy. The 81 bstance
of the charge against Mr.. Blaine was
that, when he was the Speaker of the
House, and when Thomas Scott was
president of the Union Pacific railroad
company, he caused the company to
buy bonds to the amount of SIS, 1000,
which were almost worthless, for $64,
600, and the insinuation was that this
was bride to secure the favor of Mr..
Blaine for Mr.. SCOTS 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 DO of great injury to
him. The story had been privately
whispered, and there had been con-
ference of Republican editors at Gin
cinnati, which ended by acquitting him
with the rumor. Suddenly It was made
public bya Democratic paper at Indian
apolis and in other journals in other
parts of the country. Then, of course,
it was echoed and re-echoed through
the whole press. Mr.. Blaine instantly
published an absolute and complete
denial, and having collected evidence
that is apparently conclusive, he made
u brief, clear, simple statement
i'm the House, which was as thorough a
refutation as was ever made, and, in
the absence of other evidence, leaves
him unspOtted.
He showed the testimony of the Off
GERS and bankers who had been cited
rs 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.. Blame had never had any transac-
ton whatever with him, directly or in
directly, involving money or valuables
of any kind. The treasurer of the road,
Mr.. +. III. Rollins, was equally precise
and unqualified in his declaration, and
Messrs. Morton, Bliss x Co., who were
said to have been paid the money, said:
Nothing has been paid 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 in
terest whatever" Mr.. Blaine states
that he bought in 1869 some bonds of
the Little Rock and Fort Smith rail
road, which derives its franchise and
rights entirely from the State of Arkan-
sas. He paid for his bonds the price
that all buyers paid, and, with other
buyers, he lost by them. His loss was
more than $40, 900. All the bonds that
he ever bought he held until the COM
pany was recognized in 1874, when he
exchanged them for stocks and bonds
in the new concern, which he still
holds. When the Atlantic & Pacific
and Missouri, Kansas d Texas roads,
bought some of the securities of the
Little Rock road, Mr.. Blaine knew of
the negotiations, but none of the bonds
sold to those roads belonged to him,
nor did he have single dollars pecun-
larry interest in the transaction.
This is the statement of Mr.. Blaine,
supported by unquestionable testimo-
ny. He has not sought investigation
because he knew by experience how
long he would have to wait for a report;
and while awaiting the slow action of
committee, with the charges still
pending, he could not publish the evil
dence which he has now submitted.
He knew, moreover, although he does
not say, and everybody knows, that
the Democratic investigating commit
tee would have delayed any report I'M
til after the Cincinnati convention, as
fatal blow to Mr.. Blaine's possible
~ hn ,s.l,
es to open an inquiry he will gladly
give all the assistance he can to make it
rigorous and thorough. In justice to
Mr.. Blaine we present the concluding
summary of his speech:
summarize what / presented: First,
that the story of my receiving $64 600
or any other sum of money, or any
thing of value, from the Union Pacific
railroad company directly or Indirect
ly, or i'm any form, is absolutely dis
proved by the most conclusive testi-
mony. Second that no bond of mine
was ever sold to the Atlantic 4 Pacific,
or the Missouri, Kansas Il Texas rail-
road company, and that not u single
dollar of money from either of these
companies ever went to my profit or
benefit. Third, that instead of receiv-
ing bonds of the Little Rock 4 Fort
Smith road as gratuity, l never had
one except at the market price; and
instead of making a large fortune off
that company, have incurred Il severe
peCuniary loss from my investment in
its securities, which / still retain; and
out of such affairs as these grows the
popular gossip of large fortunes amass-
ed in Congress. i can hardly expect.
Mr.. Speaker, that any statement from
me can stop the work of those who
have so industriously circulated these
calumnies. For months past the effort
has been energetic and continuous to
spread these stories in private circles.
| Emissaries of SANDER have visited edi
torial rooms of leading Republican pa
pers from Boston to Omaha, and whis-
pered of revelations to come that were
too terrible even To be spoken in loud
tones, and at last the revelations have
been made. am now, Mr.. Speaker,
i'm the fourteenth year of Il not inactive
service in this hall; l have taken and
have given blows; have no doubt
said many things i'm the heat of debate
that would gladly recall; l have no
doubt given votes which in fuller light
| would gladly change; but l have new
er done anything in my public career
for which could be put to the faintest
blush in any presence, or for which |
cannot answer to my constituents, my
conscience, and the Great Searcher of
Hearts,"
If nobody now appears to justify this
accusation, it must be considered one
of the reckless ISLANDERS to which every
prominent public man is exposed; and
no charge that may be hereafter made
against Mr.. Blaine unacompanied by
weiphty Testimony will deserve any