The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-03-25
A FORCIBLE INTERVIEW.

WIN r - ~ lui
FORCIBLE INTERVIEW.
calculate that there was trouble ahead
and destruction for some fair reputa-
tons by the storm signals raised on
Newspaper row.
y Glance Backward.
The last year of Andrew Johnson was
the beginning of Il long series of hostili-
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-
lcally, it must he admitted that that was
our era of corruption, if we ever had one.
First to draw tho 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-
sibility as to reduce it to II minimum.
All this fell in with the wasteful WAYS
and general reclilessness which followed
the large expenditures of the war, and a
habit of carelessness with the neopcs
money spread from Washington down
through all the avenues of state, county
and municipal government till it ended
with Credit Mobilicr and the whisky
ring in Washington, the reign of Tweed
In New York and of the innumcrablc
bosses in every city i'll the land. That
was the palmy day Of the shoddy arts
tocracy, the golden age of the lobbyist.
Claims were measured by millions. The
carpet Dagger was then i'll the land and
was voting for everything which had
money in it.
An Fra of Corruption.
The end of the war found the crcviccs
of southern society filed with strange
drift of humanity. 1t was composed of
men who had been officers in colorcd
regiments; men who We're agents of the
frcedmen's bureaus; men who had been
cotton buyers and suffers, and who re-
manned where the close of the war found
them. Along with these was Il class of
men of whom it is no eXaggcration to
say the world was not worthy-devotccs,
enthusiastic martyrs-men whose love
for humanity was so much greater than
their selfishness tor if you please, their
common scnse) that they toiled inces-
sanity to educate the negroes, disregard
ing alike poverty, danger, social ostra-
cism and the snecrs of their critics in the
north. Out of these curiously commingled
elements the newly cnfranchscd colored
people chose ut random their representa-
tlves and OF course got some of the best
and worst men i'll 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 it is easy to see why
the era of 1SGS75 was one of unusual
corruption.
When Journalists Were Unpopular.
1t was at this time that Dom Piatt,
George Alfred Townsend, j. Is. 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 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 the 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 I'll these and all the charges
against BOSS SHEPPARD and Babcock and
others i'll connection with the District
government were s5ill fresh in the minds
of the people the famoiis Credit Mobiler
explosion o. fred, TO he followed III
rapid succ0 3" by Il deem minor scan
dals ~ the rent breakup Of
the W six. ii.g ;c.3 The airaignment of
Secretary Eo.!:rc, 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 II height that violence
was oftened threatened and occasionally
inflicted. Ii is sill one of the Jokes of
the correspondents smoking room To tell
how Billy McGa:rahan knocked down