The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-09-24
-FOUR YEARS
Or INFAMY.
Nice Republican Record.
Shady Indiana Politics as Applied 10
National Affairs.
LOGICAL Effects Of the Purchase Of the
Presidency.

WASHINGTON. Sept. 1.-THE issue in
this campaign is the republican record
of the last four years.
1t is a very bad record. 1t is a record
of wrong-doing, of unfair favoritism in
legislation and Of scandalous misconduct
in administration a record OF reckless
s~quandering; of the debauchment of the
public service: of corruption in office and
in getting office. and of shameful NAL
practices in the attempt to retain power
regardless of the popular will.
The administration and the ~tifty-iirst
congress came into power by plain pur-
chase. The republican party in 1883 Sc.
cured its triumph by selling Legislation
short.
Abandoning all that it had protested
and all that its leaders. living or dead,
had taught concerning the limitations of
right in tariff legislation. it framed a
platform in Chicago in which it offered
to %monopolists such tariff rates as they
should desire for their enrichment at the
expense of the people. in return for n
tributions to the campaign fund.
The offer was accepted. The money
was paid. and with it the notorious en-
heZzler and corruptionist. Matthew Quay,
with his lieutenant. Dudley, was sent to
buy the election. When the funds ran
low John Wanamaker purchased an OPP
ton on d cabinet office by securing an
additional contribution of 100000 from
the buyers of legislation upon a margin.
When the ongres thus elected came
together the republican majority was
too narrow and uncertain TO do the work
It had promised. 1t could not deliver
the legislative goods it had sold to mo-
nopolists without resort to further I'M
fairness and wrong. 1t proceeded to un-
seat members Of the minority whom the
people had elected and to seat republic
ans whom the people had refused to
eject. and not a man in all the majority
was brave enough to raise a voice in pro-
test.
When the time came for debate the
majority decided not to permit debate.
lest the truth be made plain to the peo-
ple.
The rules Of the house were revolu-
tionized. y dictator Of peculiarly arbi-
trary will was placed in the chair who
suppressed discussion. overrode all con
siderations Of fairness. changed the
house from d deliberative body into a
mere machine for recording his determi-
nation. and thus enacted the measures of
monopoly which thu party had been paid
in advance to pass.
In two short years this congress squan-
dered an enormous surplus, reduced the
treasury to the sorest straits, laid heavy
burdens upon the people and upon in
dustry and made a determined. though
fortunately a fruitless, effort to rob the
several states Of the RICH. OF free cleo
tons in order to secure for the repub-
lican party a longer lease OF power. 1t
sought 70 buy votes for the future by
pension legislation Of the most reckless
and unjust character, whose shadow
hangs like a pail over the finance of the
country and must embarrass its prosper
ity for a generation to come,
The administration thus elected deliv-
cred to Wanamaker the cabinet Office he
had bought, put Tanner in the pension
office. with his eXultant exclamation.
God help the surplus!' hot upon his
lips. and when his scandalous miscon-
duet made his removal a necessity. put
Fsaum there instead. to work still larger
mischief in less vociferous fashion. and
TO ill the office with speculations. pecu-
lations and scandals SO shameful that
even the Reed congress could not be
~dragooned into palliating them. And. in
spite Of further and more fragrant expos
use. Raum is in office still.