The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-05
A POLITICAL FAKIR.

In late issue of the Posr-INTELLIGEN-
GER Mr.. MacCurdy, of Port Townsend,
convicted Mr.. J. Hamilton Lewis of most
astonishing ignorance. or deliberate falsi-
fcation of well known tariff facts. The
speech delivered by Mr.. Lewis at Port
Townsend was characteristic of its author.
who is nothing but fluent political fakir
and INSCRIPTIONS charlatan. Mr.. Lewis,
whether his topic is political, "literary" or
social, is always demagogue, and very
ignorant and shallow demagogue.
There is not an intelligent, reading man
in either party that could not without pre-
paration make ducks and brakes Of any
public address delivered by ]. Hamilton
Lewis. When he addressed the Literary
spring Mr.. Lewis drew a sensational pict-
ure of the Rev. DR.. Paxton's church in
New York city, and denounced civiliza-
ton where the sexton of a fashionable
church asked "a poor woman" to vacate
family pew and gave her a seat elsewhere.
Mr.. Lewis INDUCED in vast amount of
most rancid. ranting discourse over this
fact to the disgust Of common sense peo-
pie who see no more Outrage" in exclud-
ing q stranger from their private pew
than they do in excluding a stranger from
their private carriage or dinner table or
box at the opera. Had there been no
other seat for the woman it would have
been hardship, but seat was given her.
and in any church in Seattle where the
seats are not free the same scene might be
expected.
Mr.. Lewis treated his audience on the
same occasion to a very large amount of
red-headed talk over the fact that when
the sanity of Robert Garrett, of the Balti-
more & Ohio railroad. was the subject of
judicial inquiry his private secretary said
that he saw Mr.. Garrett buy a newspaper,
pay the newsboy ten-dollar bill and bid
him keep the change. The private secre.
tary regarded this act as indicating that
Mr.. CARROTS brain was not quite fright"
Mr.. Lewis again denounced civili-
zation where "the gift of ten
dollar note to newsboy was re-
garded as evidence of weak mind"
There is not a sound man of business in
Seattle of either party who would approve
OF the reckless squandering of ten dollar
bill upon boy vending papers. A rich
man might wisely spend thousand dollars
upon a newsboy after due investigation as
to his worth and his needs, but such a gift
as that made by Mr.. Garrett was an act OF
thoughtiess extravaganza that no prudent
man, If he were worth ten millions would
be guilty of; 1T was not the act Of a prudent,
cautious business man. who knows that
mere profusion without proper inquiry. Is
not charity; il is first cousin to the folly
that makes a drunken gambler fling q
handful of silver into the street to make q
hoodlum and guttersnipes holiday.
Mr.. Lewis never loses an opportunity to
prejudice the poor against the rich; to
array labor against capital; and the pass.
age We have cited from his lecture fairly
illustrates the cheap twaddle that he feed
out 10 his audiences. If he is sincere he is
the most ignorant man that ever aspired
10 public office. and if he is insincere ne
is one Of the very cheapest and shallowest
political fakirs and industrial charlatans
from Port Townsend TO San Diego. The
proper place for Mr.. Lewis is in the
Peoples party: there is his hereditary
| empire and natural home. Ignorance is
virtue in the Peoples party, gush is elo-
quence. stupid rant and shallow cant are
craftsmanship.
No wonder the intellectual, intelligent
men among the leaders of the state De-
mocrscy recoii from the prospect of sup
| porting such cheap creature for governor.
| Lewis would make good adjective general
| on the staff of Governor Pennoyer, of Ore
| gon, but the governor of Washington
| ought 10 be something better than cross
| between 4 political street fakir and man
| milliner in politics. Mr.. Lewis is q femi.
/ nine-minded man, and such creatures.
| when not cranks, are always charlatans
| they have the tiuency of woman ana 4
/ woman's utter Indifference to accuracy i'm
arguing questions of fact; so, despite the
exposition of his ignorance and falsifica-
! tion 81 Port Townsend. we expect that Mr..
! Lewis will continue TO emit his ''tin plate
i lies, will continue - spit cotton" in try-
ing to ge: the wool Of his teeth from now
| until November.
Lewis is 4 very great humhug, and the
brains and intelligence Of his party know