Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-29
pIr OF POLITICAL HISTORY.
. Mistake of the Late MIR. Arthur
- THAT Cost S35O,OOO.

Nvw YORK, Nov. 27.--Craue is wound
..ourd the pillars and porticos of the
c,gv Hail and the post Office in memory Of
chester A. Arthur. The newspapers
Sove been iiled with sketches of his life
- "reminiscences of his career. All
100 that be was a most eourtly and es-
.imshIe gentleman. and that he presided
y, t,a White House as though to the
~,onor born. There have been few re-
Haanres however, to his ability as
,enoI noIitican. New York city is a
l"IiticaI dollhouse filed with nest eggs.
Romoorats and Republicans are con-
iinnallv struggling for its management.
s1nder a consolidated organization the
Oamocrats invariably win, but the nest
pggs are so numerous ana palataDie mat
INV are rarely able to agree upon d.
vision. The result is that Republicans
OCCASIONALLY slip in and carry off fair
share of the eggs. Arthur was
she one Republican leader who
rorlked Democratic dissensi0ns for all
tbev were worth. He could make a trade
a. the TOLLS, il necessary, and dicKer sue
"sssiully in both the City Council and the
LEGISLATURE. When he went to W Washing
ION as Vice President there was no one
ioft 10 fill his shoes. From that day to
;ealousies and internecine troubles until
4 has lost all power. Very few are the
aaositn now rakes from the dollhouse.
TFnder Arthur's MANAGEMENT 1t not only
secured control OF the Surrogate's Office,
hut for years it was intrenched in the
yprv citadel OF local politcs-the Dis
trct Attorneys office. 1t picked up
xeyeral important judgeships, and it had
representative commissioner in nearly
n &c 1ofk
bnt a share of the Police Board and the
patronage of the Surrogate's office.
Arthur secured the confidence of the
Assembly district Republican leaders.
He was implicitly trusted by them, and
tbey strictly obe> ed him. He never held
himself aloof from them, and ne spent
many of his nights in their society. His
ioyiality, however, was confined within
ibe bounds of selt-respect, and no man
was ever able 10 force upon him an init
macy from mere acquaintanceship.
Under his eve local leaders acted squarely
aud honestly. They traded when they
we're told 10 trade, and did no trading on
their own accounts. Arthur's pledge
gas their pledge, and they scrupulously
filed it. The spoils were fairly divided,
and was unknown. Arthur
always made his combinations on firm
foundation, and was never cheated. The
bows knew this. and after receiving their
orders worked with a will. The rewards
we're distr buted according 10 merit and
without tavOrtlsm,
With all his ability, however, Arthur's
iudlment was at tines sadly at fault.
The worst mistake that be ever made was
in the local election of 1871 The nest
egg for which both parties were striving
was the Re2ister's office. John Kelly
was ruling 1ammany with an iron band.
and the disattecuon that afterwards
A hatched the County Democracy was
y gathering front. Tammany nominated
Fred Loew for Register. Arthur pitted
Jake Hess against him. The office was
worth 100000 a year to the incumbent,
besides securing forty odd tat places for
distribution in the party. Hess was
probably at that time the most popular
| Republican in the city. He was a
4 butcher, and, while making considerable
money, he spent it like water. All the
dlsaffected Democratic element rallied to
pls support. 1t was the hottest of all
local Ii gifts. Loew's canvass was run by
| his brother Charley, who was as popular
as Hess, equally as liberal and fully as
sbreTd. Foreseeing a possible defeat,
| Charley went to Hess. IL have paid
10000 party assessment" he said, land
the campain expenses are simply ruin
sus. 1t must also be costing you a mint
Of money" Hess nodded. Lew then
proposed to shut off the strikers, and save
what was possible under special agree
ment. If Hess was elected LOew was to
be his deputy and have half the patronage
Of the office. If Loew was chosen, vice
versa. Hess promptly spurned the pro.
posals. Ppm fighting on party lines" he
said, land we want all or nothing"
About this time the Republicans Domi-
mated candidate fOrAlderman in a down.
town district. Under the law three AL
uermen were chosen from each Senatorial
district, but no man was allowed to vote
Tor more than two. 1t was a scheme de-
vised Tor New York city by Repu blicsn
Legislature with view of securing rep
resentatlon in the board for the Republi-
can minority. In this downtown dis
trlct the Democrats were SO overwhelm-
ingly in majority that they invariably
elected all three candidates. At this elec-
ton the anti-Tammany phalanx was
headed by Sligo Burns, who was a candi-
nate for Alderman, and who could GER
talnly be elected with Republican in
lOrsement. He resented the running of a
republican candidate, and appealed to
hess for protection. Hess saw the dan
ger. He knew that he must leave no
stone unturned to secure success. He
pointed out the weak spot to Col. Mike
ONa"o, Vuc ulsITicI leauer, ana urgeu nln
iodraw out the Republican candidate and
l9dorse Sligo. The Colonel laughed at
Hess fears. "We will elect both you
and our candidate for Alderman" he
said.
hess then went to Arthur, with whom
Col Burns was a favorite. He placed
tne matter before him in the sJron gest
ught, and urged him to strengthen the
weak line. Instead of sending for the
1oIonel and forcing the withdrawal of the
republican candidate. Arthur dispatched
."o AIDES to the critical spot, with orders
@0repOrt direct to him. These aides were
george Van Mort and Clint Wheeler. Col.
pufhs convinced them that he could elect
us man without injury to Hess, and Uney
reported. Arthur decided against
ness IL was a disastrous decision.
.lgo cut Hess' throat, and Col. Burns
nan was 1000 behind the one who re.
seNeo Inc best vote on the Democratic
,chet' Hess was defeated by 1000 ma
grly. A change OF LOO votes would have
iecttd MIN. and Sligo's support would
rave sent Tim into the Registers office
n nu -,5VO majority. This mistake oil
Iuusment on the part Of Arthur cost Hess
",er $o0OCOO aud cost the party the
patronage aso OF the Registers office for three
''"rs' ZIsKL.
dhlG ICX-pRE GVnErNt, I'M CnnUp.TX