Wichita eagle., 1888-01-12
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.
CONTINUED from First Page.

pension agents, every SuryeYr general
four-fifths of the local land officers, nine
tenths of the Indian inspectors and agents.
seyenty-nine out of .eighty-three special
agents of the general land Office, and two,
thirds Of the special examiners in the pen
sion office: and yet Mr. Lamar stood today
on record, by his uttered words, as against
the spoilS system, and posed as reformer.
Passing to the question OF participation
of federal officials in political conventions
and elections Mr.. Hale referred to the
meeting of the New York, Pennsylvanla
and MARYLAND state committees, at ali Of
which prominent federal officials had been
| active participants.
Mr.. Hawley asked whether Mr. Hale
was sure that there had been no removals
in these eases.
Mr. Hale replied that he had yet TO learn
not only of any removals, but of any cen
sure In some cases the officials had been
promoted and in no case had there
been a change made except ac
cidentally or on account of some
! thing entirely disconnected with the
administration. He did not know of a case
where the president had put strong hand
upon any of these men and made it seem
that he wanted to perform what he
| promised. In fact 80 gross had been the
violation of every principle of reform. and
/ of the direct pledges of the president even
the Evening Post, of New York, had said
of these things that they would be used in
/ the campaign there with terrible effect.
! The president had not hesitated himself
! to deal deadly blows at the cause of reform.
! IN this connection Mr. Hale referred
/ to the recent municipal election
! in New York. when Mr.. Eel
lows and Mr.. Nicoil were candidates
! for the office Of district attorney and in
which campaign all the papers. the civil
! service reform association and the Inpr-
i,ln inf nd hi1Si y,,pr I'D h..
candidacy Of Mr. Nicoll. He spoke of Mr..
! Fellows as an Old, brOhen-doWn New York
/ politician, whose character was none too
| high and who had been the c1'ony and the
| beneficiary Of Tweed in the days of the
| worst corruption that ever diSgraced New
York city. Here was an opportunity for
the president to have done something in
! the cause of reform. Here was an opDOr-
! tunity for him to have stretched. out his
hand to the men of New York who were
| fighting against corruption and against
! thieves and robbers and bride givers and
bride takers, in the cause OF good govern
ment bnt those who believed he would do
50 has been bitterly disappointed The
president seemed TO have found himself at
that time in complete accord and harmony
with the leaders of the New York DemOc-
raCy, whose principle il had always been
to support regular nominations and shoot
down deserters The attention of the
whole country had been focused on that
contest, which had assumed an attitude
of national Importance At the great
ratification meeting which was held in
New York city, under the patronage of
Tammany Hall, for the purpose OF ratify-
ing the nominations, a letter had been
read from President Cleveland represent
ing his inability to be present and express
/ ing the hope that every candidate on the
excellent ticket of the united Democracy
might be triUmphantly elected.
Mr.. Vest defended the reputation of Mr.
Fellows. and asked MIR. Hale whether Mr.
Nicoll had not, during the campaign,
written u letter for publication to TIE
effect that 10 man stood higher at the bar
| than Mr.. Fellows, and that in the prosecu-
ton of the aldermen charged with bribery
he had done all that could be done by any
man?
Mr. Hale replied that he had no personal
knowledge OF either Of the candidates in
that important controversy and knew
nothing about the letter in question There
had been many interests in that campaign
on one side and the other. but one thing
stood out clearly, and that was that what
ever personal attachment might have,
been felt for the Tammany county Demo
cratic candidate on the part of friends who
had formerly known him. He had been
connected by close personal ties and had
been the beneficiary OF contributions at
the hands of Tweed; that he was old in
political service, and that his character
stood none too high. That was the i'm
preston which he 0Iale) had received
from reading the newspapers on both sides
al that time The impression thus receiv-
ed justified him in the remark which he
had made, without intending any assault
upon Mr.. Fellows. But the president had
not stopped with his letter read to the
ratification meeting. He had written
another letter to Mr. Edward Cooper. say
oil l.
did not amount to enough even to raise "A
doubt concerning his desire for the success
of both the state and city local tickets of
the united Democracy. 1t was that letter
which had led Mr. Carl Schurz, one of the
leaders in civil service reform. TO ask what
malignant enemy of Mr. Cleveland's had
induced Mr.. Cooper to eNtort it on the side
of "a typical dead beat" No observations
Were needed in such a showing as he had
presented. The whole course CT the adj
ministraJion on this subject mat
ter had been Il deiusion and Il
snare. The president himself-for he
(Mr Hale was bound to believe that he
was not born hypocrite-did not enjoy the
situation. The presidents only satisfac-
ton must be that he had come into closer
accord with the leaders of his party. that
they now accepted him, that senators who
two years ago had been denouncing his
impracticable theories were today most
ture ne would be called upon to make but
few more promises.
Passing on to the subject of political as
sesSments, Mr.. Hale quoted from the
Washington Post, which he spoke of as
the organ of the administration of the
LIST Of November last. in regard to the col
lection of contributions from the New
York campaign, and also Il communica-
ton III the Washington Republican. de
Scribng how assessments for that cam
paign were being levied in the government
printing Office. From all this something
was now to he plainly seen by every man
vino was not stone blind.
The value of the cry OF civil service re-
form has ceased to be of any estimation
i'll the minds of the leaders OF the Demo-
cratic party. Its canvaseS would hereafter
60 on in the old fashioned way The in
iiueuOe of the administration would be as
penetrating. as controlling. in all the
states, in party management, as it had
ever been in the old palny days of Demo
clacy before the war. WELDING and con
trolling that influence, marking out the
paths of the party, shaping its course.
breaking down opposition, enforcing dis
cpline. deriding and defying the orders
against partisan activity, would be found
the immense body of federal Office holders
As obedient TO the orders of the admin
SrratiOn rs the iaSSaries to the bidding of
an eastern despot This year the land
would rock with the efforts on behalf OF
the presidential candidates He affirmed
his belief and ventured the prediction that
no means and no appliances that had been
in years past used by the Democratic party
would fail to he resorted To this year In
timidation and outrages would open again
a bloody grave in which would be [
entombed new free ballot OF the south /
The immense mass OF Office holders would I
be marshalled 10 the conflict and wouId he
seen and heard and felt everywhere. Nor