Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20

and enlisted men to the same rank, a
rank higher than any army or navy
rank. the rank of equal American
citizens, and was and am content,
though the martinets and dem.gogues
never quite forgave me for it. It is
thence that most of the animus which
inspires my malicious critics is derived,
and / thank them for the opportunity
which their Lilliputian attacks have
offered me. cf exposing them to public
ridicule and contempt. a republican
congress stood by me. A republican
president stood by me, Hayes and his
cabinet being present in person at one
of these reunions. had all the lead
ing republicans there: Wallace,
Garfield. Fitzpatrick, Devens, Sherman
and the rest, most of them my personal
friends. It was we'll understood these
reunions were feeders for the G. a. R.
It was we'll understood, and clearly ex-
pressed in long and elaborate cores
pondence with all the leaders of the
party. that these reunions were vast re.
publican mass-meetings in this dis
guise. They were held to. help the re-
publican party alone. AL shrewd dem
ocrats SO understood it and stood aloof
still we never said politics once. Oh
no! 1t was all s'non-partisan" what
ever that is, for don't know. could
produce thousand letters on this sub
ject from every republican who has
made national figure since 1865.
All the world knows this is true, fol-
manv of the most important letters
from Grant, Garfield, Sherman, etc.
have been published by the associated
press time and again. But what has
this to do with the Grand Army Of the
Republic? Everything, for the men
who manipulated my vast reunions
were the men who managed the rapub-
lican party, and were also the leaders
of the grand army. too-the purpose all
the same, all working together, every
one of us harmoniOusly, earnestly,
constantly, to hurl the solid soldier
vote for the republican party. Only
this-nothing less.
I canngt make this statement as
clear and comprehensive as l desire,
and as my critics require, without
making it a little more personal than
like, and so leaving myself open to the
charge of egotism, but don't care a
straw for it! - - =
For quarter of a century past all
my correspondence with republican
leaders was directed both on my part
and on theirs to this one solitary object,
how to dirct the solid soldier, inside
and outside, vote of the Grand Army
of the Republic, to the support of re-
publican candidates. 1t was Logan g
favorite theme-the great burden of
all his thoughts, and almost made
Blaine president. It was Logan's
popularity among the soldiers that
nearly elected Blaine. And it was
with a feeling Of melancholy to the last
that he always referred to the we'll
known fact that if he himself had
headed the ticket he could easily have
been elected. Gen. Hayes great con-
Germ III 1875-6-7-S9 for the success of
my reunions, as declared in his letters
to me, as similarly those of Garfield in
the same years, had only the same
OI, III i,,fnn6o6 x1yo
them both presidents. The files of
every::daily newspaper of that day,
when all my correspondence on this line
was published by the associated press,
will, if consulted, make any contradic-
tion of my broad and rather personal
statement simply impossible. Charley
Foster and Foraker similarly obtained
their signal triumphs, and the written
memoirs of them, in their own hand
writing, are before me on this desk,
and among the richest of all my me-
mentoes of my connection with all the
leaders of the republican party-not
one excepted. l have nothing to take
back. have nothing to be ashamed
Of in all this record, and I certainly
have no occasion to lie about it, especi-
ally as if l make any misstatement
about matters of such public record in
the files of all our dailies the falsifca-
ton would De easily detected.
do not claim anything SO ridiculous
as that I alone made the fortunes of
these great leaders. By no means.
The soldiers did 1.-THE soldiers did it
although the G.. A. R., which I,
acting in concert with few kindred
sSirits. used to that end. All | claim
is easily shown by yonr own newspaper