The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-30
MIR. spahr Writes of schurz.


William Dudley Foulke, ESQ.,.
l have read your open letter am frank
to state to YOU as 1 did to the Journal,
that you are not disposed to treat the
question fairly-only I say very much
more to you than did to the Journal The
Journal is one of the leading papers of our
party, the leading paper in our State, and
on all party or national questions ought to
be in touch with the members of our party,
and ought to treat all public questions in
such manner to inspire the confidence
of Republicans in the party and party lead
ers. / have much more love for the Jour
mel than you have. My love continues
through adversely, as well as prosperity. /
thought | saw a disposition on the part of
the Journal to be One-sided on the civil
service question. l think so yet, but there
is this difference between the Journal and
yourself: The Journal be convinced,
will change it's opinions for the good of the
party; you will not you cling to your con-
victions at the sacrifice of the liberties of
the people and the defeat of your party if
you have any party. You state conclusions,
NOT facts, and then seem to be very much
surprised because others do not think and
see as you do. Well, you must remember
the people do not all go crazy at once
i wish to reiterate every statement made
in my letter, and the very first one you
stumble over is the plainest. When our
fathers came to the question of establishing
a republican form of government they were
aided and guided by the best things
that appeared in the various civilized gov
ernments of that day. The jury system,
to which you refer with such confidence
was one of the independent coordinate
n no ps Of thn
with us it has always been one of the de-
pendent coordinate branches-if may use
the word coordinate in this connection
and you will find many able lawyers and
good citizens in our country who will tell
you that trials are much more satisfactory
by the court and without a jury. but we
cling to the jury system to avoid the one
man power We could not at first and we
cannot now expect perfection in our form
OF government or its management. We
nave always felt, and always will feel a
crying need for reform, better management
III every department-but that does not
mean lie tenure or the turning of the gov
eminent over to a few mugWulnps to the
exclusion or deprivation of the masses. This
country and all there is in ii belong to the
people and you cannot find anywhere
where the people have delegated the right
10 congress to create life tenure in ONCE
outside of the federal judges | am well
aware of the fact that many of our best
men and our party have often declared in
favor of this grab game, but that does not
make 1t right AT one time many eminent,
country, and our laws enforced their rights
IN property in man. and the cost to our
people TO get rio of that awful crime can
over us as nation like a pail for ninety
years. retafding our growth, our civilization
and our influence with other nations.
No man thinks more of President McNin-
ley than | do, but he made the mistake of
his life in confirming. the order of the late
President Cleveland in fastening upon the
People forty-five thousand life-tenure Dem
ocrats without examination. Do you sup
P B0y for "a nj mnnt ute that VII aOw
| understood you were here at the pow
WOW on Tuesday If so, you probably
learned thing or two; and if you are
ton you obtained.
Carl Schurz's military record is not par
and at charlottesville, and ] know some.
thing about those battles. Stonewall jack
son scared Schurz badly at Charlottesville,
and at Gettysburg his command ran panic
stricken through the town at the very first
appearance of JacksonS old command, al
though Jackson was far away in his grave.
a division commander in Towards Eleventh
Corps The German soldiers, than whom
I'VE fight nit Sige und we run NIT
SchurZ. His soldiers had no confidence in
him whatever. You can find out more about
and 500. in Captain Charles Kings history
of the Famous and Decisive Battles of the
World" Captain King was regular army
officer and professor of military science and
tactics in the Wisconsin University. II you
wish to know more about Mr.. Schurz turn
to Page 439, Volume 2, Of Twenty Years
of Congress- by James G. Blaine, the
greatest American. living or dead, and you
will find this about your friend: Through
all the centuries since Tactus drew his
vivid picture of the habits and manners of
the Germans, their attachment. their pas
sion for home has been a marked and meri-
torious feature of their character-father-
land first, then to whatever country fate
or fortune may draw them their devotion
is proverbial This admira BILE trait seems
altogether wanting in Mr. Schurz. He has
not become rooted and grounded anywhere.
has no fixed relation to church or state, to
professional. political or social life. He
boasts himself incapable of attachment TO
party and in that respect radically differs
from the great body of his American fell
low-citizens He cannot even comprehend
that exalted sentiment of honorable asso-
citation in public life which holds together
successive generations of men," And much
more AS a soldier, statesman, politician,
American citizen he is an all-rOund failure.
and you had better select some one else for
your leader. The people are talking now,
and this Christmas tree must be hewn down
and cast into the fire.
GEO. w. SPAHR.
Indianapolis Dec. %.