Montgomery County sentinel., 1890-01-24
Unfortunate Position of Mr.. Foraker.

1t will scarcely do for the apologists OF
ex Governor Foraker to assume that in any
conflict ol statement between himself and
the witness Wood the preponderance oi
credibity must of necessity be thrown in |
the sca,e against Wood. 1t is true that as |
"A general rule man who causes q forged
paper TO be prepared will ordinarily per-
iure himself If necessary to escape the con
sequences, but when such man takes Tue
witness stand and coDiesses his own quit
il is not by any means certain that In other
particulars he is to be entirely dlscredted.
This Is precisely what Wood has DONE and
he makes no coDcealment whatever OF his
motive in this disreputable piece oil busl-
ness, which, so far as appears IRON the sur
face, was not II whit stronger than the ex.
Governor had in using it as he did. Had
| Governor Foraker rejected the paper, or
even had he been in the position oil one to
whom such document came without SO.
| lcitaton, he might assume an injured and
| innocent air with some hope oi sympathy
| and credence. But, unfortunately Tor his
case, he admits his hostile feeling towards
| Butterworth and his desire TO possess
paper in his office duplicating him and
others with Governor Campbells candi-
dacy, and lacitly recognizes the truth OF
| Woods statement that the price to be paid
tor this service WAS his influence Tor an
office Wood desired in the city OF Cincln'
natl Really the only substantial difference
in the two stories told from the witness
stand before the congressional committee is
as TO Foraker's knowledge that the sigma
lures to the paper were forged. Foraker
declares me did not know it, Wood states
that he did. But assuming that he did not,
how Iiiablc is the plight in which he ls
still left, and by his own showing Here
was the Governor Of a great State candi-
date for rr c,cction. lie supposes that GER
tain gentlemen of high standing in his own
party and high character in the stale anu
country are opposed To HIM and secretly
aiding his opponent. lie hears oi paper
in the possession ol one of them, signed by
the others, which il genuine involves them
a II in an Infamous crime, and he procured
the services o man he knew nothing OF,
but whn wanted an office, to get him this
paper l'he agent proceeded 10 have one
forged, aud this spurious paper was deliV-
cred in due form and received. lie knew
the criminal character OF the paper, for he
states that he had examined the statutes TO
ascertain that fact, but without the slightest
investigation he assumed, according to his
own account, that these gentlemen had sud
denly turned criminals in erdcr to damage
him, and be picked out the one most obnox-
ious to himself and had his name published
as the par,icipator in an infamous ballot
box fraud. The name Oi his Democratic
| opponent was also implicated, and in order
to save his own desperate fortunes and over
whelm those whose sense OF propriety and
\ decency made them hold aloof from him
this ex Governor Foraker rushed headlone
into course of conduct indetensihle upon
any ground, and, if the witness Wood is tc
be believed, even more serious
1t will be remembered that not many
years ago this same individual, then full
fiedged Governor, had his patriotism sc
outraged by an order to send back Conled
crate flags, issued by the President, that he
exhausted the resources OF brutal speech In
denouncing the Chief Executive OF the ma
tion. He stood upon pinnacle SO high in
those days that none could approach him
he stands upon level so low to-day that
few will care to approach him. This is az
exceptional case throughout, and YET there
, is lesson in il which Others may proiitahly
learn from its developments. The tendency
seen in so many quarters to malign the mo
. tives of Others in the heat Of II canvass tt
attribute the worst possible conduct to thos,
who do not agree with them, is an evi
which public opinion should and will con
dsmn. When we get beyond this stage aDo
find criminals employed as campaign lac
tOrS, or CFlmlHdl UBbQOuS IesTItu W. 40 Ill
the Ohio case, disaster is certain 10 over
whelm such agencies at once, or detection
fasten the guilt upon them hereafter. Bill
lngsgate is a blunted if not broken weapon
in the political armory, and when politi
. clans learn that the public demand thai
public questions and the claims OF riva
candidates shall be settled in the forum o
f reason, apd not by methods imported iron
3 the slums, they will cease this disreputa
BILE work OF detraction and place our cam
paigns on higher level Ex'dov. Forske
is victim of his own bad methods. No
long ago he was talked about as IA iavorit'
SOM and considered good presidential tim
ber Now he has made such sad mistake
in his efforts TO snatch power from an un'
: willing people that his future must OF neces'
E sty be that of enforced retirement. MOI
will the people of Ohio readily forgive the
stain which, through Republican canvass
has fallen upon the reputation of her poll
, tics. Many will turn in disgust from thu
men who have SO abused her character anc
many will resent :he party sham which gave
these men prominence. II Gov Campbell
and the party which placed him in power
! are true to themselves and keep their hand
clean and their record untarnished, it is by
ne means improbable that Ohio may see in
the next presidential contest that the place
OF safety and honor for her is in the Demo
cratic column - R1LfO ,Sun