Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1886-11-20
EnNUNDs EXPLAINS.

In our Geographic columns this morn
ing will be found an extract from a letter
written by Senator Edmunds to a Yer.
mont editor, explaining his position in
the Presidential campaign of two years
ago. 1t will be remembered that Sena-
tor Edmunds sulked in his tent and re-
fused to take the stump for Mr.. Blaine
aud the Republican ticket. The Senator
has been severely criticised by the Re-
publican press for his course in the
premises. His explanation is likely to
create a breeze from one end OF the
country to the other. 1t is the first
blow at Mr.. Blaine from a certain ele.
ment in his own party, bent on thwart-
ing and overthrowing him again in 1883.
From this time on we shall expect to see
the discussion wax warm in the news
papers all along the line. It is, in fact,
a premature opening of the next Presi.
dental contest. We shall be surprised
if Senator Edmunds is not greatly dam
aged in the esteem of his W party, by the
overhauling which he is sure to receive
ct the hands of the Republican press of
the country. In substance, he says, he
remained silent in the last campaign be.
cause, as an honest man, he could not in
dorse a candidate in whose integrity he
had no faith. He further intimates that
he knew things about Mr.. Blaine, of suf-
ficient gravity, to cause him to withhold
his active support. For his WI sake it
would have been better if he had con.
tinued to be silent. The whole case
looks as though the Vermont Senator
had been badly disgruntled by his failure
to receive the nomination at Chicago in
stead of Mr.. Blaine. There was some
demand for Senator Edmunds at that
time, as one Of the great statesmen of the
country above reprosch. He was posing
upon a plain a little above the rest of
humanity.
Was he Justly entitled to this dis
t~inction beyond the rest of his fellow.
men? No one will dispute the great
ability of Senator Edmunds both as a
statesman and as a lawyer. But has he
always deported himself in public life in
q manner to defy criticism! By implica-
ton, he charges Mr.. Blaine with taking
advantage of his official position to make
money. Is Senator Edmunds entirely
free from the same vice Many people
who are familiar with his course will an.
swer in the negative. 1t is notorious
that he is regularly retained by the
great railroad corporations of the coun.
try to argue suits before the Supreme
Court of the Unites States. He has
even appeared in cases for the Central
and Union Pacific railroads, in which the
Government was involved, and concern.
ing which he might be called upon at
any time to vote On as a Senator repre-.
s~enting the Government and the people.
So glaring did this abuse become. on the
part of lawyers both in the Senate and
the House, that Senator Beck, Of Ken.
lucky. last Winter introduced q bill to
prohibit any member of either House
from accepting a legal fee, or employment
of any kind. from any railroad or other
corporation having business before Con-
gress. Senator Edmunds was one of the
very first to jump the Beck bill, and was
chiefly instrumental in causing its de.
feat. We would not cast the slightest
refle ,tion upon the private or public
character of the great Vermont Senator,
but we submit that the record shows
that he is not wholly free himself from
hings which he is given to condemn in
others. His whole course proves that he
is not averse to g casting an anchor to
windward" whenever he can gather in
a good, fat legal fee for his services.