The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-01
KEIFER-BAITING,

play of 'Much Ado about Nothing" we should
take up the solemn investigation made by the
House of Representatives into the appoint
ment by Speaker Keller of stenographer
Gaines and the removal of stenographer
Tyson. 1t does not appear that republican
government was constituted among men for
the sole purpose of keeping stenographer
Tyson in fat Office although that seems to
be prevalent idea in various quarters and
about many other persons in official service
than Mr.. Tyson. Mr. Gaines is nephew of
Speaker Keifer, and this seems to be the
gravamen of his offense to the coterie of Wash
ington correspondents, who early banded
together to break Mr.. Keifer down
in public estimation-to emphasize
his faults and weaknesses, of which he doubt
less has his full share, and to ignore or ridi-
cule his abilities and virtues of which, it is
possible, he has less than his proper allowance.
But we should like to see a roll-call of SEN
ators and representatives made and hear the
responses given to an inquiry touching the ap-
pointment of relatives to public place, even
when the appointment was once actually
within personal gift. The government rolls are
crowded with the names of sons, brothers,
nephews, uncles, sisters, cousins and aunts
of public men, and it is the veriest affectation
and balderdash to try and arraign Mr.. Keifer
as a sinner above others upon the charge of
nepotism. We are not defending the
practice; we think it custom more honored
in the breach than the observance. But it
exists; it is widespread; and Mr.. Keifer may
well invite the senator or representative who
is without this sin to cast the first stone. Be
sides, we know Mr.. Gaines to be as competent
a stenographer as the majority. He was con
nected with the journal for time, and we
know his work and character. His statement
that he was offered 800 month bonus by
the two stenographers not to take their work,
and that he could himself easily perform all
the service for which the government pays
Sc, 900 OF $4,000 year, we have
every reason to believe and no
reason to doubt 1t is of piece with the
way in which much public work is done. 1t
Tyson and very good thing for stenographer
Gaines that the former was removed and the
latter got his place, and that Mr.. Gaines re
ceived salary for several months during CON
gressional recess when there was no work to
do; but we see no reason for the country set
ting up O nights on that account, when Mr.
Tyson would have received the money while
idle if Mr. Gaines had not For one, we pos
itively refuse to go into a conniption over the
sorrows of Tyson, and engage in the
delightful employment of Keifer- batting
which has been the principal business of a
number of newspaper correspondents who
seem to have imbibed the idea that they con-
stitute an imperium in imperio and who have
advertised to the country their size by
nouncing it as their custom to file out of the
speak. All this, aside from the expression of
any opinion upon the merits of the contro-
versy between General Boynton and Mr..
Keifer. General Boynton stands before the
country with a reputation as an honorable
man and trustworthy correspondent
and writer built up by long years
of service, and that reputation cannot be
blown away with breath, even from the
mouth of man like Mr.. Keifer. But it is
also to be said that General Boynton has the
reputation of being a good hater, man re-
lentless in his warfare upon one whom he
has reason to dislike or believe other than he
seems, as witness his persistent attacks upon
General o. o. Howard, and upon General Sher-
man after the publication of his Memoirs. AS
to this personal contest between General Boyn-
ton and Mr.. Keifer, it can well be, and should
be, left to the investigation ordered by the
House. But the petty and malicious persecu-
ton of Mr. Keifer is unworthy. Certainly
General Boynton's high character and reputa-
ton do not need such questionable method
of bolstering and no real friend of his will de-
scend to it.
THE oninion that the Standard Oil monopoly