The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-03-22


Newspaper row.
A Glance Backward.
The last year of Andrew johnson was
the beginning of d long series of HOSTILE
ties which continued through tine 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 phil0s0ph-
ically it must be admitted thar that was
our era Of corruption. if we ever had one.
First to draw the fire of the correspond
ents We're 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-
eibility as to reduce it to a minimum.
All this fell ia with the wasteful ways
and general recklessness which followed
the large expenditures of the war, and a
habit Of carelessness with the peoples
money spread from Washington down
through all the avenues of state. county
and municipal government till it ended
with Credit Mobilier and the whisky
ring ia " ashington. the reign of Tweed
I'D New York and Of the innulnerable
bosses in every city in the land That
was the palmy day Of the shoddy aris-
tocracy. the golden age of the lobbyist.
Claims were measured by millions. The
carpet Dagger was then in the land and
was voting for everything which had
money in it.
An ERA of Corruption.
The end Of the war found the crevices
of southern society filed with a strange
drift of humanity it was composed of
men who had been officers in c0Iored
regiments; men who were agents of the
freedmen 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 1T is no exaggeration to
say the world was not wort -dev0tees,
enthusiastic martyrs-mem whose love
for humanity was So much greater than
their seIhshness COR. if you please. their
common sense) that they t0Ied inces-
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 curiously c0mmingled
elements the newly enfranchised col0red
people chose at random their representa-
tives and Of course got some of the best
and worst men ia the country. The good
men were TOO often impractical, the bad
very practical indeed. Add all these
elements to the general condition fol-
lowing the war and 1T IS easy to see why
corruption.
When Journalists Were Unpopular
lit was at this time that Dom Piatt.
George Alfred Townsend j. B. McCuI-
Tough, Sydney Andrews and many others
began their career Of slashing criticism.
which continued lsuch IS the force Of
habit even after the occasion for it 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 tine sale Of cadetships,
the conviction of Congressman Bowen of
South Carolina for bigamy, the San Do
mingo 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 1Iobiher
explosion occurred. 0o be followed in
rapid succession by a dozen minor scan
dals and then by the great breakup Of
the whisky ring and the arraignment of
Secretary Belknap for selling post trad
erships. Those were indeed the .palmy
days OF sensational journalism. and the
hostility Between the press and congress
men grew to such a height that violence
was oftened threatened and occasionally
inflicted. lit Is stiu one Of the jokes Of
the correspondents smoking room to tell
how Billy 1cGarrahan knocked down