Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-12-20
IRIS BILL -HEA lbs LEl fADS|


t. -
The last canvass was = very remark
/ able one in various ways, as We have
heretofore pointed out. the reliance
of the Republicans on English quota
tons and their almost complete avoid
ance of discussion OF the tariff from tho
American point of view was q very
curious phenomenon, which has BEEN
| IN large measure explained by the rev
elations since made about the use of
money in the canvass. aud also. we are
| ashamed to add, about the use made of
house-to-house scandal about Mi. CIeve-
land. We think the way in v which this
Iscandal-mongering was organized and
carried out was q wonderful exhibition
OF eiectioneering skill,though, OF course,
there is no selfrespecting American
who must not blush over it. AS the
scandal was composed of simple un-
adalterated lies, and was intended to
counteract the effect on the popular
imagination Of his marriage with q
charming woman, and Of his happy
family life in the White House, it was
clearly perceived that itwould not do
to let it get into the newspapers, where
1t could be pounced on, exposed, and its
authors punished. Accordingly 1t was
kept out of print with really wonderful
care, considering how indiscreet news
papers are. Only one indiscretion OF
this sort was committee by clergy
man in Worcester, Mass, and he was
so promptly knocked senseless by a lets
ter from Mrs. Cleveland that it put all
his scandalmongering brethrenon their.
guard, so that ne squeak of it ever af-
terward s got into print.
But the propagandism was kept up
with wonderful vigor. The Baptist
ministers, at Conference in Washing
ton, were charged with it before they
LEFT their homes and spread it in their
congregations, and through letters to
their professional brethren. Children
were told of it at the Sunday schools.
We have heard of one case where ID
was actually carried round from house
to house by female colporteur, who
used to weep in telling 1t. At dinner
tables in the cities it was freely repeat
ed, aud always on the authority of
somebody who was present ut some
horrid scene. 1t reached this ONCE
during the summer, but
meyer in shape to be taken hold of.
There was always something dim and
about the name and residence
of the witness. Within the last week.
however, we for the first time lighted
on one of the worst of these stories, IN
the mouth of reputable man, who
was able and willing to name his au-
thority. We accordingly wrote to the
are informed by him that
the story was, from top to bottom. y
cruel, brutal,and silly invention, which
he knew was in circulation, but as long
as it was not published, shrank from
publicly confradicting. The old Puri-
tan theologians had u strong sense OF
existence of corporate guilt, that IL, Of
he responsibility before God Almighty
IF whole communities, nations, cities,
churches, for the sins of individual
Whole towns used to fast
Ind pray because some of the inhabit-
ants had fallen vitims to the lusts Of
iesh. IF this doctrine were now held,
here is not a Republican in the land
Who onght not to be on his knees she'd
ling tears of shame and repentance
,ver this most disgraceful episode in
he party and history SO
ar as we know, in its baseness, it's
neanness, its cowardlce, its wicked
less, as well as its ingenuity.-N. Y.
Post.