The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-11-02
BARHUM WISHES he HADN'T WRITTEN.
The Democratic Chairman Catches
An Indiana Tartar.
Mr.. CoIIins's Boomerang Turns and
Strikes the Wrong Place.
Mr.MorganIoffered that Amendment
and English Papers Appiauded It.

DUBUQUE, Iowa, Nov. Undoubtedly
the most notable convert in the West from
the ranks of the Democratic party to the sup
port of Harrison and the Republican princi-
pie of protection to American industries is
General George w. Jones, OF Dubuque, aman
known throughout the whole country because
of his eminent public services In the State
and nation. General Jones today is one of
the most remarkable men of his age in the
Northwest, for which no other one man has
done so much in many ways. Although now
past eighty four years old. having been born
on April l2, 1904. he is full of activity, walks
and talks with the vigor and uprightness :Of
a keen man of affairs not over forty, and
takes as deep an interest in the doings Of the
world as he ever did.
A few DAYS ago General Jones received
from New York the following letter from
Chairman Barnum, Of the Democratic nation
al committee:
No. 10 WEST TwENTY-NINTH ST.
NEW YORK, Oct 16, 1888. }
Dear Sr-I write you as one who. like m yself
has reached that age when selfish interests can
have but little influence upon political actions.
What you and do at the coming election will be
for our offspring and our country rather than our
selves The principles of Democracy were never
In better hands. We have President who is the
equal OF jefferson in the completeness OF the ties,
which bind him to the people. He IS honest and
fearless. The perpetuity Uf our government de-
want honest in office and no more money
taken frem the people than is actually necessary
for proper administration of public affairs.
ask you, as personal favor, to lend all the aid
you can to the success of the party in your local
ity Go to the polls and stay all day. Your pres
The S checksa Of
enemy. Kind regards to yourself and Mr.. Ham
yours truly,
Chairman Democratic National Committee.
Upon receipt of this letter, Gen. Jones, in
the light of present and past events, was
stirred up to the pitch of what may be
termed righteous Indignation" The sub
stance of his pointed. reply to Chairman
Barnum, written by his own pen, in bold
and steady hand,.is as follows.
DUBUQUE, Iowa, Oct. 20, 1888.
To Hon. W. III. BdTnltns, Chairman Democratic
National C0napsittse. No. 10 Vest Tt0e1ty-
ninth street, Neao York:
Dear Sir: Your polite but extraordinary letter
of the 10th inst, is before me. say extraordina-
ry, because am very confident that have never
had the honor of being introduced to you; be-
cause am sure that neither would recognize the
other were we to meet today, and because you
cannot, with propriety, ask me, as you do. the
tSpe-written letter is not marked aprfvate," and
therefore / return 1t with my reply 10 you, in
print lest you may have forgotten In your anxiety
and haste its full purport. note that your letter
is all in typewriter print, save your name and the
words "kindest regards to yourself (me) and Mr..
Ham take Il for granted that you were prompt
House, in Washington City, or In this place, be-
cause of your allusion to my age" "selfsh inter
whom you write, greatly misunderstood my char
acter, II you suppose that l am Of the spaniel
breed that licks the foot that kicks him. ] have
known personally every President of the United
States from the period of Monroe down to- and in
cluding the present incumbent, and If L did not
fear that would be considered vain and egotistl-
/ cal. would that pOSgeSSed the confidence
respect and personal esteem of all of Mr.. Cleve-
lands predecessors but one or two.
Like Mr.. Cleveland and his defunct Secretary
Of the Treasury, Mr.. Manning, you now, as they
in March, 1896, did, consider me too old to hold
0 sS sUs aes s5anss s e say
candidate myself before the people; nor have
ever engaged in the "mule-buying Business" nor
did ever open rooms at the Arlington House
in Washington TO solicit, or extort rather,
from from poor clerks in the departments con.
the reelection of any man TO Office. Nor
can get my own consent TO aid in the reelection
OF Mr.. Cleveland, who voluntarily declared soon
after his election that ought to be eligible
to or ask for his own reelection to the Presidency
ever since which time he has done everything in
his power to subsidize the press and TO ostraciZe
those who had the temerity TO oppose his election
to the Executive chair a man who, contrary to
the plain provisions OF the constitution, has used
his official position to deprive people Of the terri
tories of the right of self government even the
poor privilege of having aught TO say as to who
those territories. Has he not used his position as
President to deprive the people of Dakota of the
self-government to which they are entitled under
the constitution, which he has sworn to support?
Dakota has now eight or nine times as much pop
ulaton as any one of the territories of Wisconsin,
Iowa, Arkansas or Florida had when they were
admitted TO The Union as sovereign States Dako-
Ia has now more population than eight of the
States of the Union, and yet she, through the inu
ence of President Cleveland, is not only debarred
from the right of admission as one or two States
or more, but her intelligent and patriotic people
a M fbQ
offices created for them. Is such man TO be COM
pared to the immortal jefferson, TO Andrew
Jackson, Martin Van Buren, James X. Polk or
Franklin Pierce, or any OF his predecessors? "Hy-
per0n to satyr."
Upon sober second thought will 20 to the
polls on the 9th proximo that l may do what
possibly can to elect Harrison aud Morton and to
make amends for the folly was guilty OF four
years ago in supporting Cleveland merely because
he was the nominee of the party to which was
then attached, over Mr.. Blainey who has shown
and is every day demonstrating his infinitely supe
rior qualifications md claims for the exalted posi-
lion. of the presidency. :.
Respectfully yours,
GEORGE w. Jones