The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-08-16

uc hc0l OduSc VI Tic x/utC Il 0hAOe
Our learned neighbor, the Tribune,
gives four direct and one indirect cause
for the recent Wall street panic. We do !
not think they are sound.
FINALLY, there has been some dis
honesty and recklessness, says our
learned contemporary, with more re-
| spect for truth than for grammar.
| Dishonesty and recklessness have
been the true causes of our troubles;
dishonesty in public and private life;
recklessness in the mad pursuit of
wealth and in the methods resorted to
| for its accumulation.
The shoddy fortunes made during
the war inaugurated an aristocracy of
money bags Everybody wanted to be-
long to it and to outshine his neighbor.
Grant as President. eager for money,
took presents. The members of his
Cabinet. eager for money, took brides.
His private secretary entered into a
gang of Government thieves. u
Congress bestowed 100000, 900 acres
of the public lands on railroad corpor-
atoms and the Congressional saints
grew rich.
jaw Gould, Huntington and other
great operators took their lobby to
Washington and scattered wealth among
the National legislators.
Gould, Fisk and Corbin gave the
Presidents household a practical illus
tration of the value of rise in gold in
the form of twenty-five thousand dol
lar check, and out of this grew Black
Friday.
Credit Mobilier came along and
Cakes Ames gathered in his Vice-Presi-
dents and Congressman at comparative
ly low prices.
With Grants second term came the
increase of his pay to fifty thousand
dollars, the salary grab game and back
pay to Congress.
The disguised people elected Mr..
Tilden President, but the Republicans
refused to go. BY the aid of fraud and
forgery they stole the Presidency for
Hayes, and Hayes rewarded the thieves
with public offices in which they could
plumber the people.
Then came another election. The
! chances of the Republicans were des-
perate. The corporations, monopolies
and banks. favored by the party, raised
a corruption fund to buy Indiana. TIE
Spectators raised four hundred thou
sand dollars to the fund on the pledge
of Supreme Court Judgeships for their
tools. The army of office-holders was
assessed. The election was bought.
Arthur, then Vice President. after the
purchase banqueted Dorsey, its princi-
. pal manipulstor, and publicly extolled
the power and efficiency of .'soap."
Garfield became President. He
|, cheated those to whom he had pledged
patronage Some of them branded
him as cheat. One of them assassi-
mated him.
The Star-route robberies, among
other public crimes, came 10 the sur
face. The robbers were indicted.
Through bogus prosecution they es-
capped. To reward the unsuccessful
prosecuting counsel the Treasury was
; further plundered.
Is it surprising that with these ex.
/ amples at the head of the Government
corruption, greed, dIshonor and de-
d termination to make wealth by dishon
est means should spread among the
= people?
al When Grant stepped from the Presi
dency into swindling brokers' office
which obtained money from victims or
/; false pretenses, which sought to i'm
!, press the belief in its solvency upon it:
customers by pretending to be inter
ested in heavy Government contracts
" and which used securities intrusted t.
its keeping-is it any wonder that tn,
g Fishes, Enos, Dodds, Matches ant
b Seneys came into existence?
The true cause of the panic is easily
n traced. There were venality, prodigalit!
ID and dishonesty at the head of the Ma
ton. Gift-taking, bribe-taking and dis
), honesty prevailed at the White House
The Presidency was stolen. High Off
u GERS of the Government boosted of thei
election through the power of "soap.'
r The President was murdered by a disap
pointed spoils hunter. Public robber
IL were protected by the Administration
Grant descended from the seat of Wash
ington into the seat of Wall stree
ID shyster's ''full" partner, from leadin,
armies to Safeguarding. Monopolist
enriched by Congress, in their turn en-
riched Presidents, congressman ant
% Judges. The demoralized people rushe,
into wild speculations. Values wer
inflated by fraud and trickery. The
came the inevitable smash, and when.i
was approaching men stole aud swindle'
y, in the desperate attempt to save thei
Is money.
Of The cause of the panic is plain. VIVA
il senseless folly to attribute it to the tar
A. if, the Silver bill. the election and til
m frightened lambs!-M. Y. World.