The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-10-05
DOODLE POLITICS.
[From Harper's Weekly

Il w ebkly.l
The ceiling investigation at ALBANY
is not only the chief aud important part
iD the annals OF this years legislation
in New York but it is most timely
and instructive commentary upon
Doodle politics to which public atfen-
ton is thoroughly aroused Mr.. Aims
wOrth's statement to the effect that
Gen. Harrison would not have been
elected except for the ceiling job is now
supplemented by the explanation of
Speaker Cole that "aloBg about the
1t of November the state committee,
in its kindness, in its generosity, real.
izing the fact, presume, that | was in
the native county OF Gov. Hill, that we
have large cote that is questionable,
sent quite large amount Of money into
that county. OF course, my friends,
perhaps that was not wise thing.
Perhaps ii was not wise thing for me
10 be the receiver Of thdt money. Yet
| have explained the facts. 1 have
withheld nothing; L have told Mr..
Seward and the other attorney where
that money came from. 1t came from
republicans high up in official life; it
came. large part OF it, almost all OF it,
with the exception of few hundred
dollars, from the state committee: and
yet they say that should be explained" !"
Certainly it should be explained, and
Tor the very reason that Speaker Cole
gave III his speech at the opening of
he session:-''Never before in the his
tory of our politics, since our patriot
fathers established the Union and con-
secrsted it 10 freedom, has money
played so important, unblushing and
corrupt part in the election OF gov
ernment officials"
The speaker explains that when he
spoke OF vote that is questionable he
meant vote which is indifferent, and
which can be brought out only by the
excitement OF bands, and by providing
carriages 10 bring them TO the polls,
and that it was for such legitimate
expenses the money was used. MIR.
WaDanaker is reported 10 have SAID
that he didn't care how the money was
used, knowing that il You'd be prom
erly used by Mr.. Quay.
Yet the Philadelphia American, the
organ of one of President Harrison's
earliest and staunchest friends, saws of
Mr.. Quay :-"When the president ap-
points a dispenser and disposer of
patronage in any state and takes as
bis appointee a person of Mr.. Quay''
qualities and record, he abandons the
duties tor whose discharge he was
elected, and he commits them TO hands
which practically are raised against the
virtue and honor of the government.
What worse thing could he do?'
Mr.. Wanamaker may perhaps plead
political inexperience and ignorance OF
wicked partners" But Speaker Cole
is not new in politics, and he knows,
as everybody else knows, that the
moral standards OF state committee
in the management of elections are not
the standards of what the late Mr.,
Smyth described as Sunday-school pol.
itics. MIR. Cole, however, says dis.
tinctly to reporter of the Tribune
that the suin was too Insignificant for
the purchase of voters, who in that
case must hold out for high price i'm
Schuyler county, tor in his speech he
describes the sum as "quite a large
amount" and he AYERS that il was dis
bursed tor Legitimate expenses of the
campaign" which he defines. That the
enormous sums raised i'm the late CAM
paign, however, were devoted to legit-
imate expenses is Dot believed out of
Schuyler county. MIR. Coles word in
regard to his own conduct in the affair
ought certainly to be accepted until it
ls invalidated by something else than
presumption. But he will see that So.
600, which came too late for many
bands of music, is large sum for car
riages to convey questionable" voters
to the polls in country county. MIR.
Cole can settle the question concIu-
sively by simply stating the items of
his disbursement.
The painful necessity of such an ex-
planation as that made by the speaker
of the New York assembly is another
Illustration aeYgs not 9RlEg n65 n6r bboII1ics, but
also and happily of an aroused public
sentiment. The republican party, as
the champion of the extreme protection
of certain industrial interests, and as
the contributor of an enormous sum of
money wholly beyond any requirement
of legitimate election expenses, and OF
whose disbursement no account is rem
dered-money expended by Messrs.
Quay, Dudley, ana others whose
records upon the subject of such ex-
penditures are public aud familiar-is
party under suspicion and on the de-
fensive. Questions OF the tariff and of
the fisheries and of Samoa are OF no
importance whatever in comparison
with the question of wholesale corrup-
ton at the polls. Governor Gordon,
of Georgia, interviewed by reporter
of the World, says :-"I know nothing
about Mr.. Coles case, but have
very decided opinion in regard to the
use of money in controlling elections.
My profound conviction is that this
country is in more danger from the
efforts that have grown common in
the last few years to purchase votes III
controlling elections than from any
other source. do not see remedy,
but all the powers of the government,
state and federal, legislative, judicial,
and executive, ought TO be used to
break down this vile and growing prac-
tice. The charge that the negro vote
is suppressed at the south, il it were
true, ought to give to the patriotic
thinking men of the country far less
concern for the future of the republic
than this habit of depending upon ac-
cumulated money to decide the ques-
ton of who shall make our laws and
what those laws shall be-"