Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-12


When the death of Hubert o. Thomp-
son, the leader of the New York County
Democracy, was announced some of the
newspapers which pretend to be friendly
to President Cleveland, but which never
lose an opportunity to strike him blow
when they can do 80 without appearing TO
be open enemies, SAID that the President's
! ingratitude was the cause of his death.
/ 1t is probably true that Hubert o.
/ Thompson helped to nominate and to elect
Mr.. Cleveland, and it is not improbable
that be could have defeated his election.
He was a power in New York city poll
tics, and controlled enough votes, per
haps, TO have given the State of New York
to Blaine. But did he support Mr..
Cleveland because he thought he
was an honest, capable man? He
did not. He supported him because
he thought he could be elected, and he
expected very handsome reward If his
expectations were realized. Mr.. Cleve-
land had only fairly been inaugurated be-
| fore Mr.. Thompson made known to him
that he wanted tie great office of Col
lectOr of Customs of the port OF New
York. The President refused him what
he wanted tor the reason that he was too
practical politician. In other words,
the President didn't like the character of
the man, and had grave doubts about his
fitness Tor any place of public trust. Was
| the President guilty Of ingratitude? Not
at all. He owed Mr.. Thompson nothing.
Mr.. Thompson would have supported
another candidate if he had believed that
the chances for election OF any other were
better than those OF Mr.. Cleveland.
The President, after great deal of urg-
ing from the Secretary Of the Treasury,
consented to permit Mr.. Thompson to
name the Collector. Mr.. Hedden was ap-
pointed and proved an entire failure. MIR.
Thompson has been in his grave only a
few weeks and his appointee is already
out of Office and his successor appointed.
Did the President judge Mr.. Thompson
wrongly Who is there who will say
that he did in the light of the revelations
which have been made before the Mayor
OF New York within the last few DAYS?
The testimony of the City Chamberlain,
In the Squire.Flynn matter, shows that
Mr.. Thompson was a political "boss' of
the worst sort, who did not hesitate to en-
ter into corrupt political bargains for his
own benefit, and who had little, if any,
consideration for the public good or the
peoples interests. He 1t was VINO die
tated the corrupt Flynn-Squire
agreement by which Squire, now
the Commissioner OF Public Works of the
great city OF New York, agreed to let
Flynn, contractor, run the office to suit
himself, provided Flynn would secure his
(Squires') confirmation as Commissioner.
Thompson and Flynn, for a while at
least, ran the office OF Commissioner OF
Public Works, which has more patronage
and dsburses more money in a year than
the Governors of all the New England
States, to suit themselves, and when their
tool, Squire, began to show little pluck,
they planned to put him in the peniten-
tIary for signing the agreement which
Thompson dictated.
When Mr.. Thompson died his obituary
notices contained the statement that he
was an honest man. Prominent men at
Oenueu MS luHerdI, anu ne was lalu 10
rest with the hOn0rs accorded to great
party chief. But the President knew
him well, and Notwithstanding the press
ure that was brought to bear upon him,
refused TO trust the public interests to
his care. The disclosures in the Flynn
Squire investigation relieves the Presi-
dent from the charge of ingratitude, and
hat hs
erful political friends than to appoint to
office man in whose integrity he has no
confidence.