New-York tribune., 1885-03-16
would favor the original scheme Of improving tho Mis-
sisspp River navigation by the construction OF jettes

would favor the original scheme of improving tho Mis-
sisspp River navigation by the construction OF Jettes
GARLAND AS A POLITICAL MANIPULATOR.
HOW HE BROKE DOWN REPUBLICAN RULE In AR
KANsAs-rHE BROOKs-BAxrER FIGHT
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, March 15.-In q letter which
Attorney General Garland has written to John Eakin
Of the Arkansas Supreme Court he gives his reasons for
accepting the position now occupied In the new CaoineI
Among other things he says:
A new Administration has como for which we have
prayed and worked for years Many breakers are
own section have lsbored be conseryatiye did y
for the best for ALL for ardenty and ferven1S nre
Of the very matters that will beset Mr. Cleveland and
whess vi that e1 Mr.
shall be solid and permanent success ,s us9 toup
years.
1t will be interesting to know what the "verv mat
tiers" through which Mr. Garland passed when he was
Governor Of Arkansas short sketch OF the part
he in the history Of his State in those days will ac
count for the extraordinary popularity which the
ent Attorney enjoys among tho Bourbons not
only Arkansas of the entire South resident of
Arkansas who took part In the struggles Oh
those days. and who knows Mr.. Garland per-
sonally, said to-day: "In 1879 Arkansas
and several Of the Southern States still under Re-
publican rule and the Democratic ninorities were
yainy seeking to overthrow the Republican Govern
ments The Kuklux the Knghts of White Camelia, ana
kindred organizations had failed. There was q spit IN
the Republican party In Arkansas the one sue headed
nominay by Joe Brooks, but really managed by
Ben Frye then Senator, whose term OF office expired
in March, 1873; the other side, comprising nine
tenths Of the party, headed by Powell Clayton State
election for Governor Legislature and all the state OF
fees was to at the time with the National
election Rice of the Brooks faction OF the Ro
publicans, beaten by Clayton with President Grants
aid. who removed all the Brooks men from
office In the State and replaced them with Clay
ton men, secretly co-operated with Sumner Schurz, and
the other Senators who were fighting Grant with the
aid Democratic Senators Claytous men could not
be confirmed, because OF the opposition OF the Liberal
Republican, Finally trade was made with some
friends Of General Ransom, of North Carolina, whose
seat as Senator being contested by cx-oena-
tor Abbott, on the ground that the men,
bers of the North Carolina General AS
semby, who voted for General Ransom, were not
qualified Of being under the ban OF the Four
teenth Amendment by which trade Ransom was seated
and Clay ton confirmed.
Rice and Brooks with their followers at became
avowed Liberal Republican, They held state con-
ventoD nominated Brooks for Governor and full state
ticket and sent delegates TO the conven-
ton which nominated Greeley. Brooks had
been Abolitionist preacher before
the War was an honest and able man. most bitter par
Republican in Arkansas. Rice was shrewd politician
He was chairman OF the Brooks committee and claimed
one-third Of the Republican vote In Arkansas whilst he
was credited by the with possessing at least
onehaf the brains OF the party He announced always
through Brooks his mouthpiece that II the Democrats
made any nomination and the other State
offices, Brooks and his ticket would be withdrawn and
the leaders Of the movement would quit the state eav
ing their followers TO drift back TO Clayton.
Cayton's wing Of the party met and nomn'
ated Elisha Baxter. old resident OF North.
eastern Arkansas, for Governor Baxter had been
everything by and nothing long, but he was re-
garded by Clayton the most available man to put
against Brooks. the Of carpct-bsgrcr cond not
made against him. and might be used alinst BROOKS
The Democrats held their convention In juno
OF three days. accepted the Brooks ticket and
supported Greeley. most vigorous canvass
was made, and Clayton succeeded In drawing away
nearly all OF Brookss Republican support besides sccur
ing heavy Democratic contingent. who were disgusted
at the idea Of supporting 'carpetbag abolition
preacher against an old citizen OF the State both
claiming be Republican, Tho result was the election
regular Republicans ia the General Assembly or course
there the regular Democratic outcry about hepuo
lican frauds, but nothing came Of Ii.
!" Baxter was weak vain man, with high opinion 10 OF
Garland As soon % as 81, shs & Gsns.aa S %
And did we'll Baxter became entirely snbscryon to
Democratic friends and left his lie
drifted back the Republicans He begun suit before
for he ofce Of Governor Whytock quietly one day
gave Judgment IN favor OF Brooks and the latter went 10
the state turned Baxter out and took possession
Baxter threw himself upon hts Democratic friends, and
under Garlands direction they rallied to his support
Then came the Brooks-Bax war; which finally RS
suited appeal the President and the recognition
OF Baxter Tho Brooks evacuated the State House,
and the Democrats took possession. - .
The first aatof Baxter when nc went under Garlands
two Republican members obeyed the call,
but all the Democrats did. Without quorum In either
branch Democrats unscatcd lot OF Republicans.
seated who had been elected and, thus
obtaining quorum called State Constitutional Con-
yenion Republicans Of the State refused to vote In
to this call In ali but two three countless and
for this reason the convention vas almost sodly Dem,
election ordered at the tme and Garland elected
Govern0r-fOr 1t was he who manipulated the whole
matter. ~,
''Thus was broken down the strongest Republican
ORGANIZATION in the South, for there more
white Republicans in Arkansas than In any
other Southern State. The rolls of tho Army
show that over fourteen thousand white men from
lon and the leaders OF the party In the State were men
of brains and courage But Garland by his shrewd
manipulation, first Of Brooks and then OF tho traitor
Baxter succeeded in breaking down the Republican, or
ganization. And this was the beginning OF the eDd
Mississippi louisiana Alabama, Florida and South Car
oina soon how easy II would be for them to break
the organization Of O crowd OF uneducated negroes,
when Garland had succeeded with such men as Rice.
Brooks, Clayton and Mcclure"
GOSSIP ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION.
THE oOLLEcTORsHIP - BELIEF THAT HUBERT o.