Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-06-12

4udG lt ludhco d NCA SOAoAuCAoOlC uAA ference to politicians what surroundings environ cases that engage their attention or oratory is shown very strikingly by a matter that is now agitating Perry coun- ty in the state of Indiana and that in- wolves the reputation for sincerity and good faith of President Harrison him. self. We are told by the news dispatches that the county is in a state of revolt, and the republicans there are vowing that, happen what may, they will never support President Harrison again for any office. The whole tempest has been stirred up by a country postotfice but, insignificant as the case is, it seems to reveal the character of Benjamin Har- rison in light as unexpected as it is unenviable.
 Soon after the war, according to the facts as given by those best acquainted with them, Tom de la Hunt, one-armed soldier, was appointed postmaster at Cannelton and he held the office until democrat would be appointed, and hop ing that the incumbency of woman might prevent such a change, the repub- licans induced de la Hunt to resign and Arthur appointed his wife to the posi- tion. Harrison was then senator from Indiana and was a party to the attempt to retain a republican in the Cannelton postoffice by appointing d woman, which would practically retain the old incum- bent as postmaster. The democrats saw through the trick of their oppo- nents and Mrs de la Hunt was removed. In the meantime her husband had died and Harrison made the removal of "a soldiers widow" the subject of one of his most violent attacks upon the ad- ministration. AS soon as Harrison was elected president Mrs De La Hunt be- came again an applicant for the office and petition, with an ample array of signatures, was forwarded to him in her behalf while he was still Ill Indianapolis. The lady and her friends took no con- cern about the matter, as the president while senator had shown so much in- terest in her, and her appointment was regarded as certain. A few days ago her friends were surprised to learn that Josh Huckleby, small politician of the town and chairman of the county com- mittee, had received the appointment as postmaster, and that the "soldier's widow" would get nothing. The an nouncement created the most intense feeling among the republicans, especially as the democrats had charged that the speech by Harrison while in the senate was made for effect, and that in fact he cared nothing for the soldier or his widow. Within few hours after the appointment became known a town meeting was called to pass resolutions of censure upon the president, but it was finally determined not to make such a public exhibition of feeling, but to pre- sent the case to the president in the shape of a remonstrance. It has been privately announced to the republicans | that the office was promised to Huckleby during the campaign, and that Harrison gave his consent at the time. Treasurer Huston controlled the appointment un- der Harrison's promise to take care of the chairmen of the county committees | in the event of his election. And Mrs De La Hunt, the 'soldier's widow" for whom the heart of Benjamin Harrison | bled when she was removed by dem ocratic president, had to stand aside. This is but a typical case. Benjamin Harrison and the party of which he is a leader are profuse in thelr love for the old soldier, his widow and children when. by parading their love they can make party capital and advance their own or party interests. In their pension legislation,
 their campaign issues and assaults on the democracy they have always had an anchor to windward to haul in the sol dier vote, and practical politics is the best gauge by which to measure their sincerity. Benjamin Harrison has shown himself no better than his party, and this case of Mrs de la Hunt must ever give the lie to any pretensions he makes h future that the soldier and the soldiers widow have other than a purely political place in his heart. It will take more than words, more than empty profess sions of regard to wipe away the stain that his unmanly and selfish treatment of soldiers widow has put upon his character and that of the whole repub- lican party.
 Mrs de la Hunts case is whole ser mon in itself to Grand Army men and l old soldiers for whom the republican heart bleeds-about election time.
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