The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-04
DIsCREDITED ADVISERS.
Truth and Good, Hard Sense About
the Mugwump h
Philadelphia Press.

-
Harper's Weekly complains that the Re-
pubilcan leaders and newspapers are not
disposed to accept advice from that class Of
and it concludes that Republican pride has
been inflated to such a degree by the cleo
tons of the last years that the party will be
sure to take a wrong-headed course ending
in such a singing defeat as the Democratic
party has just suffered. The Weekly is
right in Its complaint, but it Is wrong in
its conclusion.
: The Repuplican party is not disposed to
accept advice from the organs
because those organs nave so thoroughly
discredited themselves as TO make their
advice and suggestions worthless. The
mugwumps began their political career with
the campaign OF 1854, a campaign that was
conducted on false pretenses. These men,
who We're all free traders, recognized that
revenue principles on the laws of the nation
unless they We're able to destroy the in
auence of the late James G. Blaine and pre-
vent his election to the presidency. Accord
ing1y, as the first step in their programme,
they began a war of villifcation on Mr..
Elaine ana made the campaign of 1884 one
of the most unciean in the history of Amer
lean politics. By the aid of the colossal
Irauqs a com m TED IN, the s ballot box in the
in Gravesend and the Tammany Hall false
counters in New York city, they succeeded
and then they began the war on American
Industries. the disastrous effects of which
the nation is now feeling.
The fact that they concealed their free
trade designs under the mask of personal
viliifcation would be enough of itself to
discredit forever the naugwumps. But it
is not the only reason why their advice
is not accepted. The lack OF judgment
hna t aisef candlaafe they insy w sooxed su IN asle for
the presidency and the party with which
they would throw in their lot is additional
evidence of untrustworthiness With more
than the charity that can be fairly de-
manded towards Mr. Cleveland, there is
country who Will claim that the President
did not reach the limit of his capacity
when he served his county as sheriff. And
yet the muSwumps insisted upon taking this
man whose record was absolutely blank
of any evidences OF a study of public ques-
tions or OF the possession of those quail
ties which distinguish the statesman and
made him their leader in a Campaign that
was loudly proclaimed as a movement for
the Democratic party, with its past record
of incompetency. disunion and unsoInd
financial ideas, was 10 be used as the in
ssrument for carrying out the scheme.
The result that every thoughtful man
vas fully carried out has cone to pass.
That the President is lamentabiy lacking in
the qualities of 4 leader and a statesman is
now confessed by the very men who We're
! loudest in his pra.ses two years ago, and
that the Democratic party Is utterly in
competen. 70 govern Is aIhltted aa.ly ny
Mi. Cleveland TO the presidency and of the
Democratic party 10 power has been frdughl
with almost unparalleled disaster To the poo
pie ana of Humiliation to the Nation is also
plain to every one. And yet the mug
Wun1pS, VINO are more responsible Tor TINS
condition OF disaster and humiliation than
any others, complain now that their advice
and suggestions are not taken by the Re-
publican party. They seem to forget that
the captain whose xro-ng-headedness has
wrecked the ship is not the man whose ad-
vice is Sought IN repairing the damage.
That the Republican party is amenable to
| advice and suggestion is shown every day
in the newspapers authorized TO speak for
in. There is not a leading Repupl-c can
newspaper from Boston to San Francisco
/ that has not aaDored assiduously since cleo
ton day last November to impress the
party with the need of giving the country
| clean, honest government and a safe, sound
currency, and of responding promptly and
fully to tbt higher and better sentiment of
the people Ii 1t wishes to retain the conf
dence of the voters IL is the advice and
! suggestions of these newspapers that the
Republican party Viii take instead Of sub
mittiag itself to the guidance OF the organs