The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-03-17


tions by the storm signals raised on
Newspaper row
"a Glance Backward.
The last year of Andrew johnson was
the beginning of a long series of HOSTILE
ties which continued through the entire
first term and well into the second term
of Grant. In fact, now that it is over
and we can look back upon it philosoph-
ically, it must be admitted that that was
our era Of corruption. if we ever had one.
First to draw the fire Of the correspond
ents were the once famous Mrs. Cobb
and her gang Of pardon brokers.
The unfortunate position of Andrew
Johnson, compelled to dicker with hos
tile senators TO get any of his appoint
ments confirmed. SO divided the respon-
sibihty as to reduce it to a minimum.
All this fell in with the wasteful ways
and general recklessness which followed
the large expenditures of the war, and
habit of carelessness with the peoples
money spread from Washington down
through all the avenues of state, county
and municipal government TIL lit ended
with Credit Mobilier and the whisky
ring il Washington, the reign Of Tweed
in New York and Of the innumerab BILE
bosses in every city ia the land That
was the palmy day OF the shoddy aris-
Claims were measured by millions. The
carpet Dagger was then Ito the land and
was voting for everything which had
money la it.
An Era of Corruption.
The end of the war found the crevices
Of southern society filed with a strange
drift Of humanity Tt was composed of
men who had been officers ina colored
regiments; men who We're agents Of the
freedmen's bureaus men who had been
cotton buyers and suffers. and who re-
NAMED where the close of the war found
them. Along with these was class of
men Of whom it is no exaggeraton to
say the world was not worthy
enthusiastic martyrs-men whose love
for humanity was SO much greater than
their sel6shness Cor, if you please, their
common sense that they toiled iuces-
sanity to educate the negroes disregard
ing alike poverty, danger, social Ostra-
cism and the sneers of their critics in the
north. Out of these curi0usly commingled
elements the newly enfranchised colored
people chose at random their representa-
tlves and of course got some Of the best
and worst men IN the country. The good
men were too often impractical; the bad
very practical indeed. Add an these
elements to the general condition fol-
the era of 1s68-75 was one of unusual
corruption.
When Journalistic Were Unpopular
Tt was at this time that Dom Piatt,
George Alfred Townsend, u. 81 McCul-
Tough, Sydney Andrews and many others
began their career Of slashing criticism,
which continued such is the force of
habit even after the occasion for lit had
passed away. The great scandal of par
don brokerage and the bargain and sale
Of appointments had scarcely passed
away when the scandal of the Indian
ring became fragrant and was followed
Immediately by the sale of cadetships,
the conviction of Congressman Bowen of
South Carolina for bigamy, the San Do
ningo affair and the inquiry about the
French Arms.
While all these and all the charges
against Boss Sheppard and Babcock and
others in connection with the District
government were still fresh In the minds
of the people, the famous Credit 1Iobilier
explosion occurred to be followed in
rapid succession by a dozen minor scan
the whisky ring and the arraignmant Of
Secretary Belknap for selling post trad
arships. Those were indeed the palmy
days Of sensational journalism. and the
hostility between the press and congress-
men grew to such q height that violence
was Oftened threatened and occasionally
inflicted. 1T is still one of the Jokes Of
the correspondents smoking room to tell
how Billy McGarrahan knocked down