Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-12-01
REPUDIATED By THE PEOPLE.


to American Voters.
The verdict of the country upon the
administration of Benjamin Harrison
is unmistakable. It has been rendered
with such emphasis that it is impossible |
to misinterpret it. The administration
and all its works have been repudiated
by the American people. Two years
ago the country registered such vote
of want of confidence as has never be-
fore been recorded against any admin
istration in our history. But the ma
iorities against the administration,
overwhelming as they were, lost some
what .of their moral force because of
the very large abstention of voters in
nearly all the states. 1t was urged by
the supporters of the administration
that while this abstention might be
held to indicate lack of positive en-
thusiasm for the president and his pol
icies, it did not signify absolute dis
approval of them, and it was confident
ly predicted that in 1892, when full
vote would be registered, the verdict of
1890 would be reversed Well. the full
vote has been polled-by far the largest
in the history of the country-and the
verdict of 1890, instead of being re-
versed, has been reaffirmed and made
more emphatic.
The causes of the unpopularity of
the Harrison administration are not far
to seek. and that they have proved so
potent speaks we'll for the moral stand
ards as well as for the intelligence and
patriotism of the American people.
The administration began its existence
under cloud. Mr.. Harrison owed his
election not to the unpurchased suf-
frages of the people but to bribery and
corruption of the most fragrant descrip-
ton. He obtained the presidency in
1888 only through the lavish and cor
rupt expenditure of money. extorted
from the tariff rings and other pluto
cratic com bines organized to prey upon
the national treasury and to despoil
the people of their substance. He him
self inspired and cooperated in the
raising of this money, and to a great
extent directed its disbursement. With
all of this outlay he did not receive
majority nor even a plurality of the
popular vote. He was in an actual mi
nority of 49,, 631 on the popular vote
and fell 90, 4S4 below Cleveland. He
was therefore minority president, not
only in the sense that ne had failed to
receive majority of the popular vote
OuG tllsib Ills IcdolHP COIDSbilOE nctO
received a plurality. He was the Off
cial product of money and not the
choice of the people.
The catalogue of Mr.. Harrison's of
lenses as president is long one. When
he bestowed a cabinet position upon
John Wanamaker as reward for the
Iatter's services in raising corruption
fund of $500. 600 for use in securing his
o1o he nd -,
try. When he called the notorious
Stephen B. Elkins who had long been
notorious as a jobber and a boodler, to
his cabinet, he repeated this offense.
When he turned the census bureau
over to man of Robert B. Porter's an
tecedents with full license to pervert
it from its legitimate uses to those of a
party machine. when he put such a fell
low as Green B. Raum at the head of
the pension bureau and retained him
after his incompetency and dishonesty
had been fully revealed; when he con-
ferred an important official position
upon a criminal like ''Oave" Martin in
Philadelphia and 'srecognized'' in
similar manner such characters as E.
II. Nebeker, Sam Kerchevel and Henry
mcfarland in Indiana, Mr.. Harrison
advertised himself as unmindful of the
properties of his high Office, AID rem
dered it impossible for honest men,
who were not blinded by party spirit
or personal partially, to retain Faith
in him, however much they may Rave
desired to do So.
Aside from his prostitution of the
patronage to the service of his own
interests and of the supposed interests
of his party Mr.. Harrison flew in the
face of enlightened public opinion
when he identified his administration
with McKinleyism and the wicked
force bill 1t was the habit of repub-
lican organs and orators in the recent
campaign to eulogize his administra-
ton as a clean one, and to claim
that the democratic press and the dem
ocratic speakers admitted it to be s11ch.
Nothing could have been farther from
tie facts. While it is true that, in
consideration of the presidents sad do
riestic affection, the spokesman of the
democratic party, through the press
and on the stump, treated his admins
tration and himself personally with
great forbearance during the cam
paign, and confined themselves chiefly
to the great issues OF tariff reform and
local self-government, it is not true
that they certified to the cleanneSS and
general excellence of his administra-
ton. There have been some redeem
ing features in Mr.. Earrison's record
as president, but they have not been
numerous or important. His official
record as a whole has been very bad,
and when the country. on Tuesday. re-
pudiated the force bill and the McKin-
ley law, and condemned the fol1ies and
crimes of the billion-dollar congress,
it also placed the seal of its emphatic
disapproval upon the administration of
Benjamin Harrison because of its bad
faith and its low moral standards.
There is, in the ignominious failure of
his efforts to secure reelection by
such methods as he has employed to
that end. a pregnant lesson for pol
itseians of every variety, which the
whole guild win do well to heed.-ln-
dianapolis Sentinel
The republicans may still stick to
it that the tariff is not a tax, but they
do not deny that it is heavy burden
in a ampaign--Louisri Courier
Journal.