The herald., 1896-08-16
M'LACHLAN'S DUPLICITY


Mr.. McLachlan, who is desirous of
again representing the Sixth district in
congress, has endeavored to explain his
position. He has tried to establish a
character for honest consistency by
showing how inconsistent his record has
been. There was refreshing naivete
about his Introductory remarks. He
candidly confessed 'to a slight feeling of
embarrassment" That was considerate
on his part, but were he possessed of any
sense of the proper embarrassment of
his position he would hide his dimin-
ished head in becoming retirement in
stead of seeking the suffrages of those
whom he has wilfully betrayed. But
| the epiderms of Mr.. McLachlan is evi-
IDENTIFY as impenetrable as that of his
| leader, Marcus Aurelius Hanna, and his
/ sensbility as obtuse. Both are equally
| imbued with anxiety and unscrupulous-
ness to satisfy their personal ambitions
| Mr.. Hanna stands confessed to policy
| of getting there somehow" 1t is evil
| IDENTIFY equally immaterial to Mr.. Nc
! Lachlan by which road he travels. gold
or silver. as long as he can obtain q seat
in congress and the contingent emolu-
ment. The opportunist from Pasadena
has twice shown no scruple in deceiving
his constituents, and what possible sort
of guarantee can he now offer them that
he will not continue to maintain his Ill
fame? Mr.. McLachlan subdues the
slight embarrassment he confesses in
short order and proceeds to tell US that
two years ago the currency question
was not mentioned. In the very next
sentence of his speech he affirms that he
was elected to congress from district
which included in its congressional plat
form a declaration favoring free silver.
Mr. McLachan tells us that accordingly
he believed it his duty TO vote in con-
gress with those who favored the free
and unlimited coinage of silver. I'm
doubtedly it was. But he had previously
transgressed all bounds of duty. How
does Mr.. McLachlan attempt to explain
his dishonesty in accepting a nomina-
ton upon a platform. which he now ex-
plains was mot in line with his personal
convictions, which have never varied in
this natter" He prudently refrains
from attempting so hopeless task. His
personal convictions, which he himself
evidently estimates as of no value what
ever as long as office is in sight, he can
ddly confesses, We're prostituted in the
service of what he believed and believes
was heresy. This is the only explana-
tion that can be vouchsafed for what he
is pleased to call this apparent change
of front on my part"
Mr. McLachlan proceeded to as
sure his audience on last Fri
day night as follows: II have no change
of personal views or convictions to
make, and am therefore not obliged to
stultify myself in any way In what
does stultification consist? Is it some
thing worse than duplicity? Was there
no qualification involved when Mr.. Nc
Lachlan relegated his personal convic-
tions to the rear and sought a nomina-
tion upon a platform calling for free
silver and voted in congress for
measure directly at variance with his
convictions? Had Mr.. McLachlan de-
clared the simple truth that he bowed TO
the dictum of the national Republican
party, in convention assembled, as a
loyal partisan. he might be accused of
strong devotion to his party but he
could not be justly held amenable TO the
charge of cunning duplicity.
Mr. McLachlan's position may be
truthfully and very briefly stated. In
1894 he accepted a nomination on plat
form that he now repudiates and de-
clares he could not then endorse. In 1895
he accepts a nomination on platform
that is directly contrary to these per-
sonal convictions of his and then re-
pudiates it in favor Of the platform of
the national convention.
Mr.. McLachlan has been consistent in
one thing, IN a persistent course of sac
riticing duty TO opportunity.
There was one eloquent pleader for
Mr.. McLachlan who was rash enough
to assert that the candidate Of
1894 had never advocated the free coin
age of silver At least on one occasion
in this city Mr.. McLdChlan positively
declared that on the silver question
there was no difference between him
self and Mr.. Patton VIII Mr. McLach-
Ian attempt to confirm the precipitate
assertion? But it really matters little
in the light of Mr.. McLachlan's self
confessed record what he cares to affirm
or deny. In the eyes Of intelligent vot-
ers, even if all parties in this state had
not unqualfedly declared for the free
of silver. how can Mr.. McLach-
Ian expect TO appear other than an in
time-serving and irrespons-
ible politician? If voters care to be mis-
by such a man of straw,
tLav will SIInnnrt AIr Mel ,acblau