The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-04-02
CREAM OF THE PRESS.
THR BRIGHTEST THOUGHTS or sun
DAYS PAPERS.

Trapping u Lobbyist-Cor'air Gould %"
Rennett-S Nicaragua and Costa hiea'
Mathew Arnold on America-Donneiiv
and Bacon -BIaine's Muscie-Sc.
The World claims to have trapped and
bagged Ed. Phelps, the king OF the
lobby" at Albany, and adds to the long
and interesting account Of The 'ifapper
the following editorial
For years the business OF 'inDuenc
ing legislation by corrupt means has
aourished openly at Albany. Merlto'
rjous measures are made 10 bleed before
1.-The, are permitted 10 pass, and striking.
bills are introduced Tor the purpose OF
lextoriing money from men or corpora
lions. Valuable franchises are bought
through the Legislature. Chief among
the recognized lobby agents Is Mr.. IA.
Phelps. with whom our representative
conducted negotiations His business Is
Just as well known at Albany as il that
of The accredited representatives oi the
people-better, we are afraid, than 10 That
ing his occupation openly, the King OF
the Lobby has not been interieTed with.
If the World could so easily trap the
veteran corruptionist 1t woult seem that
the officers OF the law might have secured
proof enough at least to have driven him
from the Capital"
Corsar Gould comes back at Gordon
Bennett as follows;
II have known you over thirty years,
and during all that time your life has
been one of shame Your private life
has been but a succession OF debauches
and scandals, so that your name Is asso'
ciated on every tongue as Bennett The
libertine.' And however gentlemen
might meet YOU at clubs or hotels, not a
gentleman in New York, as you well
know, would allow you TO cross The
threshold of his residence where virtue
and family honor are held sacred. Your
very touch in the social circle is contaml-
mating a few instances, such as decency
permits To be put in print, will suffice 10
illustrate and confirm what have 10 say
on this head A few years ago while on
one of your debauches, the police came
down on house of i'll fame in this city
| You were among the victims bagged.
When YOU were arraigned, past midnight,
at the police station, you screamed /
am James Gordon Bennett, proprietor OF
the New York Herdid Let me go Do
YOU remember the simple reply OF the
! faithful officer, who said You may be
James Gordon Bennett, or you mag be
| George Washington the case viii take
the usual course Officer, lock the pfls'
oner up
Gould has evidently been hit and hit
hard. He winces when a journal like the
HeyaM tells the plain, unvaruished truth
about the methods he has pursued 10
gather fortune from wrecked railroads
and the bankruptcy Of scores OF honest
men. His retaliation Is the revenge OF
coward. He dare not meet the facts, and
seeks relief in personal viIihcati0n. -
". Y. Herald
The New York Times thinks that Cos.
Ia Rica may have gained some advantage
in the Presidents decision on the boun.
Diary line question, but it adds, that Still
leading fact is that Costa Rica was
! fully satisfied 10 have the treaty OF 1858
held valid, and her contention before the
arbitrator was that this compact was
binding, whereas Nicaragua disputed the
validity of the document on the ground
of its never having been lawfully and
properly ratified by her. Costa Rica,
| therefore, on the main contention seems
to have gained the advantage, since the
! Presidents decision prOnOunces the
agreement Of 1868 valid. II seems TO be
clear, however, that the decision will in
no way work practical injury 10 the canal
arrangement with Nicaragua, which Is n
large element of interest to that country
and TO ours"
The Tribune says, in criticising Ar
nold's caustic analysis of the vices of
American civilization, that In search.
ing for his mystic grail, the perfect civil.
cation, Mr.. Arnold has affected all his
life long the cynical manner of Diogenes
in looking for the uncreated honest man.
| He has never succeeded in finding posi-
tive traces of it in any country with
whose history and manners heis CONVEX
SAINT, His American friends will not be
surprised by his confession that his search
has been equally futile on this side of the
Atlantic. 1t may be melancholy result
for the reputation OF Western civiliza.
ton and Republican institutions, but it is
Il fortunate Thing for Mr. Arnold him.
self
The Sun says OF lgHatius DonHelly's
trip to England
There remains on this side of the At.
lantic not one person, man, woman, OF
child, who possesses the secret
which is locked in Mr.. Donnelly's
brain The key to the cipher
has been communicated to no English
man or other foreigner Ii the steamer
conveying MIR. Donnelly should founder
with all on board, the Shakespeare. Bacon
cipher would be irrccoverably lost. 1t
would be as If Mr.. Kelly should pelish