The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-06-14
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most astounding phenomenon in Amer
lean politics. and it is doubtful wheth-
or its parallel can be found in the his
tory of any nation. Obscure men,
ignorant men, degraded men, have
been elevated to power. but it has
never before occurred that a man pos
sessing every acknowledged disquah
icatlon has heen selected because of
them. and elevated from the lowest to
the highest estate without ever having
expressed a recorded opinion upon any
public question. 1t is not known that
he ever made q political speech, tried
an important cause, was a member of
any legislative body, wrote a remem-
bered paragraph, or expressed an intel
Egcnt idea, and after three years of
administration his political views, if he
has any, are matter of surmise even
to his partisans. It remains uncertain
to this hour whether his predictions in
the war for the Union were with the
North or the South, and except that
he furnished a substitute when con-
scripted, whom he subsequently per-
mitted to die in the poor house, it is
certain that he sustained no personal
relation, either in sentiment or deed,
to the most momentous controversy OF
modern times. He has no preceptible
connection with the category of acct
dents to which his elevation is due.
He has neither personal following,
popularity, admiration nor respect, be-
cause he has exhibited none of the
traits nor attachments that inspire re-
gard. He was not eloquent, nor learn
ed. nor cultivated, nor agreeable, nor
entertaining, nor attractive in mind,
manner or person. His enjoymentS
were those which are found in the un-
restrained indulgence of the appetites
and passions, and his chosen associates
were the companions of his orgies.
From this inert and vacant mass the
transcendentalists and Pharisees of
our politics have made themselves a
craven image, to which they bow down
and worship with ignominiOus idolatry
and self abasement. They declare
that he possesses the courage of a
Jackson, though the first threat of
public evaporation, like that aroused
by the battle flag order, drives him to
retraction, and to the imputation of
unpopulS- acts to the indiscretion of
subOrdinateS. His tedious platitudes
are described as wisdom, and his dull
self-cOmplaeency as imperturbable poise
and resolution. His WeariSOme prOteS-
tations of purity, and of antagonism to
the corrupt and MALIGNANT influences of
his party associates, are announced as
evidences of official integrity, which
justify his assumptions of superior
honesty. and warrant him in perpetu-
ally impugning the motives of man
kind. He regards as enemies all who
are unable to concur with his swollen
estimate of his superlative pre-emi-
hence, and manifestS resentment tow
ard all opponents, whether in his
own party or elsewhere. Having
cheated the ''reformers'' and bullied
the renegades in the North, he truckles
to his masters in the South, acknOWl-
edges his hypocrisy, admits his treach-
cry, and, not Disconnected by exposure,
demands another term in the face of
his plain avowal that he would not ask
for a denomination. Devoid alike of
Imagination and of conscience, he ap-
pealS neither to the sentiment nor to
the moral sense of the people. Atten-
ton will not be diverted, therefore,
from the real issues of the campaign by
considerations personal to Cleveland.
He will be nominated, not as leader
but as fetich-a thing endowed by
superstition and ignorance with ficti-
tiOus attributes. There will be no
hero-worship. 1t is impossible to ex-
cite popular enthusiasm for an eXecu-
tive who confessedly reaches the eli
max of his great powers in refusing to
approve an appropriation for a public
building in country town, and veto
| ing with ghoulish glee a two-dollaI
| pension bill for a mutiiated and dis
abled Union veteran.
ParadoXical as it may appear, the adj
miniStratiOn of Cleveland has resulted
in ineStimable advantage to the people
of the United States. It has furnished
| additional evidence, if such was neces.
sary, of their capacity for self-govern-
ment. There is no longer occasion tC
despair Of the perpetuity of the Repub.
lie.
| Politically, it has established beyond
controversy, as one of the political is
sues of the campaign, the falsity of the
accusations upon which the Republi.
can party was defeated in 1884. Sc
constant had been the assertions Of
| Democratic orators for a generation
that Republican administration haG
been eXtravagant and dishonest, and
its civil service corrupt, that many
good men felt an uneasy suspicion thai
the ledgers had been tempered with
and unworthy favOrites retained in of
flee to conceal guilty secrets from the
to ''Open the books and turn the ras
calls out'' was anticipated with exulta-
ton by some and with anxiety by
many; but the result has disappointed
both. Under the hostile scrutiny OF
three years no Republican official has
been removed for cause, neither error
nor defalcation has been detected il
the enormous financial transactions OF
quarter of century, and departure
l -
tration, whenever attempted, has re
suited only in loss, confusion, anC
public disapproval. These charges
cannot be repeated. They have beer
disproved and definitely abandoned.
The democracy we're entrusted with
power upon pledge of economy ant
reform in the administration of the
Government. Reform implies thai
there is something which needs refor
nation, and the electors have the
right to inquire whether this pledge
has been kept or violated. 1t Will bt
one of the most important issues of the
campaign, and the evidence is conclu
sive and overwhelming that since thu
days of Jackson there has beer
no such shameless and disso
lutte prostitution of the pub
lie service to personal and partisan
uses as that which has occurred unde
this new dispensatiOn oflpurity, sweet
ness and light, which was supposed t.
usher in the political millennium. Tht
degradation is complete. Even tn,
pretence of virtue has been dropped
and the unhappy victims of the mocl
marriage are treated with unfeellns
derision and neglect. Every depart
ment of the government has beer
transformed into a party machine
Efficient and experienced subordinate.
have been displaced by incompetent
and unframed men for political reas
Ons only, in the mail service, in thu
Indian bureau, in the land department
till the public business has fallen into
imbecile and inextricable disorder
The expenses of the government
meanwhile, have greatly increased
An appearance of economy" has beer
secured by inadequate appropriations
supplemented by deficiency bills, or BY
the refusal to pay the acknowledged
and ascertained obligations of the
treasury. The courts in the United
States in many districts have been
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