St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-04-23

elected, could help it.
Less than two months have passed
since Mr.. Cleveland's Inauguration,
and already some republican politicians
have been heard to say that they made
mistake when they assumed the role
of the prophet. William Walter
Phelps of New Jersey, who is most
widely known as friend of Mr.. Blaine,
says:
"My opinion is that Mr.. Cleveland
is going to give very good admins
tration to the country, hut very bad
one for the party. He is doing moth
ing at all for his party the party man
ayers are dissatisfied, and they have a
right to be-he might get just as good
men for these prominent appointments,
and yet give them where they would
do the party some good. He has made
up his mind to stubbornly resist party
pressure and refuse to recognize party
claims. This will meet with the APP
prevail of the people but it will bring
about a party disruption. |
know there are lots of democratic SEN
ators who would be better satisfied if
Blaine were in the White House. There
were some last November who had no
favOrs to ask of Mr.. Blaine, who would
Just as lief have seen Blaine elected.
They would like his methods better
and would be closer to him. |
meet with fresh proof every day that
democrats voted for Blaine. If he
were to be nominated in 1888, demo-
cratic managers would support him
and he would get an immense demo
cratic vote"
When asked if Cleveland would not
gain great strength among people who
are no politicians, and draw off those
of no particular politics who have al
ways voted with the republican party,
Mr.. Phelps added:
eyes, he will draw off all those but
they with all their numbers cannot
make up for the loss of party mana
gers"
1t would be difficult for republican
politician in fewer words to justify the
action of the independents and their
belief that Mr.. Blaine was the real
choice of the worst elements in both
parties, and that Mr.. Cleveland would
be able to restrain the "wicked old
democrats" 1t would also be difficult
for Mr.. Phelps to more clearly publish
his own fitness for political leadership,
for every word in the long interview
with him from which we have quoted,
to be played for the exclusive benefit
of politicians. The fact that the add
ministratiOn satisfies the friends of
good gOvernment-the great body of
the people who have only private bust
ness pay the taxes, and want nothing
from the government except security
for their lives and property-seems to
him to be a minor consideration. His
only apparent anxiety, and he is but
one of large class of republican poll
ticians, is, how he and the republican
managers can, with the help of the
disgruntled democratic managers, save
himself, and elect his political teacher
in the year of grace 1888.
Mr.. Phelps seems to believe that
though slavery was nominally abol-
ished in 1868, it has really been ex-
tended so that the whole people are
now enslaved to political managers.
Political machinery and managers are
necessary means for carrying on state
life; but that machinery may become so
cumbrOus, and those managers so
numerous as to stife or even destroy
that life. The caucus and our dual
system of government, when aided by
the "spOils SYSTEM" tend to such re-
suit. Such machinery, manipulated by
cunning placement, seemed to many
last year to have brought us within
measurable distance of danger to the
state-life. If the events of the next
four years, as Mr.. Phelps, not warned
by his former failure as prophet, now
declares, should bring into one pOlt-
zeal camp those of both parties who
are most adept in the rules of the game
and control most of it's machinery, and
against these should be arrayed the
great body of American citizens-lOyal,
honest, and seeking only good govern
ment, possibly the New Jersey man may
once more seek the confessional. The
present type of party managers, in
such an event, may find, as Tom Cor
win used to put tia hOspitable grave"