The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-08-21

| - = '"'. " fhtId. httoTu
Politics has It's tragedies no less thai
love. If the inner history of some of these
tragedies could be written up they nigh
| perhaps warn young men of the reefs
that everywhere beset the ocean of off
cial life. Collectors, Postmasters anG
Sheritfs have been fugitves from Justice
some of them still live in foreign lands
Preston King, who was Postmaster under
johnson, filled his coat pockets with shot
and found a grave under the waters OF
the North river. Addison Latin, Sur
veyor of the Port under Grant, and for
mer Congressman, cut his throat from
ear to ear. And the story of a tragedy
in connection with onr present local poll
teal upheavel is whispered around from
mouth to mouth. Rumor AYERS, and per-
haps too truly, that Hubert O. Thomp-
son, finding his money and influence gone
deserted by Flynn and Squire, neglected
by Cleveland and learning that Hedden S
head was booked for the gulllotine, took
his own life, having first bequeathed to
those who had dethroned him the legacy
of Squire's fatal letter. If this is true it
IS enough to create new pity for Thomp-
son. At the Chicago Convention no one
was so powerful as he. Flattered and
fawned upon by his party i'll this city, he
believed he could not only nominate a
President but create Collectors, Post
masters and an army of smaller officials
Two years passed, and he found his money,
influence and friends all gone. 1t is imDos-
slble to conjecture the despair that filled
the last terrible hour of man whom every
local politician envie1 but one short year
ago. He, though dead, will have his re.
Venge. His shade will have reason to be
satisfied with the sacrifice offered up to
appease it. Like row of bricks the men
who supplanted him will go down one
after another involved in the rum created
by this modern Samson of politics. The
rich contractor, the SNUG Superintendent
OF Public Works, the ambitious Mayor,
the willy Chamberlain, the Judge who
allowed his advice to be taken-ali will
have to go. They will drag down with
them, too, the new aqueduct job and the
electrical subway swindle-$50, 900, 900
Jobs each. Then tidal wave of reform
will sweep over the city, and after that
the rascals will be able to begin again in
peace. Like the sun and moon, reform
and rascllity follow each other in regular
orbits. At least, have seen it so in the
last forty years.
The last of those killed and wounded
by the dynamite which Thompson be-
queathed to posterity as his legacy will
be found eventually to be much larger
than anybody supposes at present. Tam
many Hall, the latest love of the poet
Squire, hangs her deserted harp upon the
willow trees and sees herself again "a
lone, lorn wildly Young Hamilton
Fish, who helped make the new aque-
duct bargain at Albany last winter with
Flynn, and had himself named as Com
missioner in order to carry out the swim
die, finds now that he has scotched If not
killed a very promising career John
o Brien Chairman of the Democratic
State Committee, must take himself out
OF office before he is put out. Politically
he is a dead cock in the pit The next
Legislature will knock in the head the
aqueduct Swindle, and it will also kill the
Subway Commission job, of which Flynn
was the author, Hess and Moss the tools,
and Flower the bowling cornet. AS for
Governor Hill his position is critical.
He made Il big mistake in signing the
new Aqueduct bill. 1t was bid for Tam.
many support and the favor of the big
contractors. If he can escape the conse-
quences of this disaster he will be lucky.