The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-06-03
A "FRIENDLY" COMPACT.
The Clique That Engineers the Affairs of
the Nation.

The Clique That Engineers the Affairs of
the Nation.
The sealskin scandal recalls public
attention to the fact that the men who
are closest to Mr.. Blaine politically
constitute clique which embraces
some of the most daring spectators in
America. It's existence first became
notorious during the period of the star
route scandal. Prior to that time Mr.
Blaine, as is well known, had taken q
very considerable financial interest in
the affairs of Arkansas in connection
with Little Rock railroad securities
and with casting anchors to windward
in the formation of national banks. In
this connection he made close friends
of some of the most notorious carpet
bag politicians of Arkansas, and from
Arkansas operations were extended to
New Mexico, where his friends raided
the public lands in much the same
style as one of their number-Dlstrict
Attorney Clayton-made his debut in
Oklahoma under this administration.
This clique, bound together by com
mon utilization with Mr.. Blaine and
having headquarters both in Wall
street and Washington, has operated
through resident members in West Vir-
ginia, in New Mexico, in Arkansas in
Montana in Oklahoma, and wherever
else there was an opportunity to turn a
penny through politics, as is now being
done through Mr.. Blaine's sealskin di-
plomacy.
In it's personnel the connection is
made between those engaged in Mr..
Blaine's deals with Fisher, in his guano
diplomacy, and in the star route con-
tracts. Prior to the nomination of Mr..
Benjamin Harrison, his son, Mr.. Rus
sell B. Harrison, was taken into full
fellowship and into open partnership
with Ell1ins in the Montana operations
of the syndicate which in Montana was
active in land schemes and in politics.
Young Harrison, who went to Montana
to hold minor federal office, had no
capital of his own, and when he was
taken into the clique there is little or
no doubt that the deal for the nomina-
ton of his father had already been
made. IN pursuance of this deal Mr.:
Morton, the American representative
of the French syndicate engaged in the
guano deal, was. made vice president
through the same influence which made
Mr.. Harrison president influence
of Stephen b. Ellsins as the political
familiar of Mr.. Blaine.
The history of the Harrison admins
tration shows how the deal has been
carried out. We need not go beyond
Arkansas and Missouri to find stfti
cient illustration of how all-powerful
has been the influence of these specu-
lators over Mr.. Harrison. They have
been tie power behind the throne of
the second of the Harrison dynasty.
They have dictated appointments; he
has merely assented. The patronage
of the administration has been under
their control, and they have used it to
promote their private ends, regardless
OF party as of public welfare.
Such notorious facts make it very
serious question how far Messrs. Blaine
and Harrison are free agents in connec-
ton with the extensive political and
speculative operations of these men.
The weight of the evidence tends to
show that Mr.. Blaine acts under com
pulsion. He seems to be literally sin
the hands of his friends" of the men
whom in the past he has used for his
own purposes; whom now, when the
end of his career is in sight, when he
has opportunities to make an honorable
record in closing it, he might gladly
shake off il he could But it is inevita.
bic that when a public man of national
reputation makes such alliances he be-
comes the slave of those he expected to
use only as tools. Desperate men, with
no regard for public opinion, caring
nothing for what is said of them, bent
on getting the largest possible amount
of unearned money in the shortest pos
sible time, they are not to be tritled
with, as Mr.. Blaine well knows after
his experience with Fisher. Having
once got cinch' on him they use it
eitker to control him or ruin him-to
control him regardless of whether it
ruins him or not His humiliatious
under such circumstances must be ex-
IRENE. He is the victim of these men
and Of the deal they made in his name
in nominating Mr. Harrison.
On Mr.. Harrison the hold they have
was established prior to this deal, and
it has been strengthened since through
the speculative operations in which
Russell B. Harrison is used with what
is clearly studied ostentation, leaving
no doubt that he is played as stool
pigeon by experienced operators whose
designs he is not capable of understand
ing.
Whatever the bitterness privately
felt towards each other by members of
such combinations, it cannot manifest
itself in open rupture. The same IN
fuences which nominated Mr.. Harrison
bind him and Mr.. Blaine together. No
matter how much they may distrust
and dislike each other, they cannot
separate. Mr.. Blaine will not desert
Mr. Harrison nor will Stew Elkins de-
sort Mr. Rlaino