The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-13
BENToN's OFFENsE.

Convincing Proof that He Did Attack the
President in His Campaign Speeches.
st. Louis Special.
In view Of the fact that Senator Vest is re-
ported as using his utmost influence to save Col
NJ. e. Benton, United States district attorney
for the Western district of Missouri, from q
second and perhaps final suspension from Office
and the general denial that Mr.. Benton made
use of the language attributed to him, the fol-
lowing interviews with leading Democrats OF
Gallatin, where the speech is said to have been
made, will be found interesting. A reporter
who visited Gallatln after the publication of
Benton's speech ascertained that the best of rea-
sons exist for believing that the speech was de-
livered as reported by Mr.. w. T. Sullivan, and
that it abounded in unpleasant reflections upon
President Cleveland and his policy Mr.. Sullivan
has made affidavit to his report, which charges
Benton with having referred to the Presidents
civil service humbuggery," and gives Benton
credit for having discovered that Cleveland
gets his financial ideas from the gold bugs Of
Wall street."
Mr. Sullivan's affidavit is supported by the
testimony of Judge Frank Ewing, of the Daviess
County Probate Court prominent Democrat Of
Gallatln, who, when approached upon the sub
ject of Bentons speech, reluctantly admitted
that Sullivans report was substantially correct.
attributed to him." said Judge Ewing Il am a
strong Cleveland man myself, and I've got no
use for body who will draw salary from
the government with one hand and rip it open
with the other, as Benton did. He said. in eff
feet, that the President draws his inspiration
on the silver question from tho gold bugs of
Wall street, and referred TO Cleyeland's civil
service policy as 'hnmbuegery. Benton's re-
marks very il-timod and injudicious.
The Democrats of Daviess county brought him
here to make general good old time wboop-
efn-up Democratic speech, hoping, by advertis-
ing him a nephew of old Tom Benton, to draw
out a number of old Democratic voters. He
didn't make the kind OF speech we expected and
threw irebrand into our midst by attacking
President Cleveland"
81 TheRMr. Snllivan's report is correctls
'Yes. believe it s.n
Judge ]. F. Hicklin, Democrat, representing
attorney of Daviess county, said: Il heard Mr..
Benton's speech. and believe that SulIivan's re-
port Of it is in the main correct. Benton GER
tainly criticised the President severely on his
cvil-service record. He claimed. as n Demo
crat, the right to express his own opinions, and
he did not hesitate to give utterance to them in
forcible manner | thought ut the time that
his language was somewhat inappropriate, COM
ing from one of President Cleveland's ap-
ponteeS."
Mr. T. B. Yates, president of the Farmers Elk.
change Bank, of Gallatin, and a prominent
Democrat, had heard Bentons speech. $50 far
as | remember" he said, Benton criticised the
Presidents civil service reform policy, and wasn't
very choice in his language, either. believe
he referred to it as ciyil-servce 'humbuggeryi
While hold practically the same views on this
subject as Mr.. Benton, still it struck me at the
time that Mr. Benton might have found some
thing else for discussion in a Democratic speech.
don't think that he should have gone out of his
way to find fault with the President. did not
hear Benton's remarks on the silver question"
Mr.. d. fairfield Davis, formerly editor of the
Gallatin Democrat, said The impression pro-
dueed me by Bentons speech was very I'M
favorable to the speaker. thought that Ben
ton should not have criticised President Cleve-
lands policy, for the reason that in principle Mr.
Benton is much aSart of the administration
as is Mr. Cleveland. He did not hesitate to take
issue with the President on civil service and the
silver question and expressed himself very Fore
IDLY. He did not think the President had pur-
sued the proper course, and while don't remem-
Der his exact language, think that Mr.. Sulii-
van has reported it correctly"