Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-02
Observation-Disclosures ,. 1884.

Mr.. Blame and Mechanic Wages.
The Washington Post having stated that
Mr.. BLAME had said that "no mechanic
was worth over two dollars. or any laborcI
over one dollar per day." and the charge
having been allowed by Mr.. BLAINE 10 90
uncon,radlcied for a month. Mr.. SPIT2EG,
Of this city, sat down and wrote to Robert
I. FLEMING, formerly Of this city, and not
10 Mr.. BLAINF. on the subject, and received
from NJ. FLEMING. and not from Mr.
BLAINE. the following note:
WASHINGTON. u. g., October so, 1884.
10 Atfhur A. Splitter, Richmoad, Pd.:
Your letter received. have no know
ledge OF. nor do believe. that Hon. James
g.. Blaine ever made Use Of the words that
"Nn mechanic was worth over two dollars.
or any laborer over one dollar per day
As the referee for Robert Davidson & co.
in the settlement OF their accounts with
Mr.. blaine for the construction Of his resi-.
dcnce In this city. mechanic, were rated
ai four dollars and labOrer, AZ two dollars
per day. ROBERT ]. FLEMING.
Architect and Builder.
Now. il is an insult 30 the mechanics %
Richm0nd-a reflection upon their intelli-
gcncc-for Mr.. IIuBARD, who has published
The above note in the form Of " dodger.
to assume that they would accept such q
note - q contra fiction Of the Posts state
mcnt. Mr.. FLEMING knows nothing in the
world rs TO the truth Of the charge brought
against Mr.. BLAINE by The Post. lie does
moi pretend TO know anything about il al
all. lie can give in regard to the matter no
certificate that l. worth any more than
would be a certificate OF any other man
who knows nothing whatever a. to the
truth or faisity Of the charge.
Read MIR. FLEsING'S note carefully. He
has no knowledge that Mr. BLAINE ever
said that no mechanic was worth more than
two collars day. Who ever said he had
any such knowledge: Neither mas Mr.. IlU.
BARD or Dir. SPITzER any such knowledge.
Their certificate would have been just ~
good rs Mr.. FLENING's. Nay, better. Why
Well. read. We repeat. Mr.. FLEMING'S letter
ssain. and you will learn from il that Mr..
III alSf had a dispute with his contractor
- e. what he ought to be paid for building
Mr.. nIAINE's fine house IN Washington:
that Mr.. FLEMING was one Of the referees
in the case; and that by these retCreeS mot
6y M. BkdinC) mechanics were rated at
four dollars and labOrers at twO dollars per
day
Can anybody help inferring that Mr.
BLAINE was speaking of that very tran,ac-
ton when he said that no mechanic was
worth more than two dollars a day: The
referees would not have been called upon
to rate mechanics at four dollars a day il
Mr.. BLAINE had paid that price without
dispute and without referees.
But there need be no room left for infer
ences. Mr.. BLAINE has denied various
other charges which have been brought
against him. He has denied them by telc-
grsph. and published his denial. in all the
Giles Of The Union on the same day. In one
hour Nr. HrBARD, Republican candidate
for Congress, can get a telegram denying
the truth Of the charge; that il. il il i not
tue. Why write TO Mr.. FLEMING. when
an snswer might have been obtained more
eYpcditiOusly from Mr.. BLAINE: Why
write 60 a man who knows nothing what
ever \, TO the truth or falsity of the charge.
when II was 30 easy 10 communicate with
the msn who knows all about the matter:
Mr.. iluBARD could have obtained
thousand certificates in Virginia from men
who "haye no knowledge" that Mr..
BLAINE ever made the damaging DECLARE
ton under consideration. II j. not at all
impossible that Mr.. CLEVELAND would have
given certificate Of that sort
Let the wortingmen Of Virginia read
III. FLsMING'S note for themselves. aud de-
cidc for themselves whether they know the
meaning OF plain English words. or need
an interpreter. We venture ia >ay that
they will discard Mr.. llrBAEn'S construc-
lion nf If