The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1892-09-02
EXIT JOHN STRONG.
BUT HIS GLORIOUS RECORD
CANNOT BE IGNORED.
How lie Disgraced Himself, His Party, Ills
Office and His State---His Retirement
In the Interest OF Pure Politics---The
Indictm ent Against Him.

a rev weeks since, Lieut.. -Gov.
Strong, the Democratic president of
the "squawbuck" Senate said to re.
porter: mo; am not a candidate. +
am out of politics." His party has
cruelty taken him at his word. Not
withstanding the fact that he expressed
himself willing at the convention to
suffer little more strain Of conscience
for the good of his party, his fellow
Democrats bestowed upon him the
usual reward for dirty partisan work
done-an ignominious retirement to
the rear.
The Republican party certainly will
have no objection to the political re-
tirement of man who has done so
much to bring the state into disrepute.
The fair fame of Michigan, which the
Republican party established by long
years of honest and capable manage
ment, has never been so smirched by
any other one of its citizens as it has
been by John Strong. So he may
glide peacefully down into the valley
of defunct politicians, if he can so ar
range 1t with his conscience, bearing
honors peculiarly Democratic thick
upon him.
But HIS RECORD WILL NEVER RETIRE.
1t stands as an everlasting disgrace, to
himself, to his party. to his office and
to his state. His party would doubt
less like to retire that record with him,
for in their platform they make no de-
fence of his action in the senate of 1891,
as they did in their platform Of that
year, but pass it over in discreet
silence. The damned spot" however,
will not "out," and the Democratic
party, which alone profited by his
course, must bear the disgrace.
John Strong, Democratic Lieutenant
Governor of Michigan, now rests under
this Indictment: He disgraced himself,
his party, his Office and his state
BY fragrant violations of constitu-
tional law, parliamentary practice,
rules, presidents and well recognized
modes of procedure, all of which he
was bound by his official oath to
observe;
BY using the prestige of his high
Office to further Democratic partisan
conspiracy and to force through the
Senate the adoption of two so-called
committee reports, well knowing the
same to be utter falsehoods, fabricated
during q recess of the Senate taken for
that express purpose;
By consenting to listen to the final
consideration of the contested election
cases in the Senate, when neither party
to either case was present to be heard,
thus violating the most sacred prin-
ciples of justice and equity as well as of
constitutional law;
BY permitting the Democratic MEM
bers of the Senate to shamefully violate
a pledge made in his and their own
presence, on the floor of the Senate,
that no party measures-and especially
the contested cases-should be taken
up in the absence of the Republican
members;
BY allowing political boss-the
secretary of the Democratic State
Central Committee-to stand by his
side and crack the Democratic party
whip over his head, while he was pre-
siding over the Senate and wilfully dis
regarding the earnest and respectful
appeals of the Republican Senators
for simple recognition of their most
sacred rights;
BY making his private rooms in the
state capitol hiding place for the
bigamist Democratic SENATOR" away
from the officers of the law, lest he
should be held to answer to a criminal
charge and the Democratic party should
lose his vote.
No wonder that John Strong ex-
pressed desire to retire from politics
and his party was only too willing to
take him at his word. The people are
to be congratulated on the retirement
Nothing better could happen for the
publication of Michigan politics in
general and Democratic politics in par
ticular.
Judas Iscariot retired from politics.
Benedict Arnold retired from poll
tics.
Jefferson Davis retired from politics.
And now John Strong may retire
from politics.