The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-26
Some Rcmarks on Perrinism.

Some Remarks on Perrinism.
The Philadelphia Press is quite right in
the opinion that twenty-five years ago the
Perrine land grant scandal would have
ended Mr.. C~LEvELAND's Administration In
Disgrace. There was less ground" adds
our contemporary, "for some Of the scandals
which in the past have sent men into re-
tirement in Disgrace with their political
careers ended, than there Is In this Perrine
land grant story"
The interesting question is whether pub
lie opinion is less sensitive to the misuse
Of public opportunities by public men than
II was o quarter Of a century ago. Appar-
emily the Press not only thinks that public
opinion is less sensitive but r~ejoices because
that Is so for our esteemed contemporary
remarks that ait is a significant proof Of
the mellowing Of political controversy in
this country that the incident has not been
seized upon by the party opposed 10 Mr..
CLEVELAND and used to his disadvantage"
Probably the Philadelphia Press would
find 1.-The party opposed to Mr.. CLEvE-
LAND" less. tolerant In its view Of this
ugly Perrinc business II Mr.. CLEvE.
LAND were now a candidate for re-
election, or II a Presidential election were
approaching, or II six months remained
Of Mr.. CLEvKLANp's term, instead Of only
six days. Whether by accident or design,
the issuing Of the grant to the Presidents
stepfathcr in.law and the Other PERRISEs
was so timed as to secure for the transac.
tion the minimum Of public interest and
the maximum of public Indifference.
Nevertheless, the rights and wrongs Of the
case are precisely the same as IL the execu.
tive grant of the twenty.three thousand
acres Of Florida land TO Mr.. ~CLEvELAND's
stepfather.in.law and his co-heirs had been
the very first act Of Mr.. ~CLEvELAND's AID
ministration and not almost its last act.
And when the investigation of the scandal
has brought ont all the facts, provided there
Ia time enough for that before the 4th of
March, public judgment as to the propriety
Of the proceeding ought not to be affected in
any way by the circumstance that Mr..
CLEVELAND himself Is then beyond the
reach Of political damage on account Of his
SUPPLEMENTARY sudden prosperity.
The Washington correspondent of the
Ae,r York Press has found in the Depart
ment records a full summary of the Per
.Eiht grant piCpaIcu SSNCh VI tikub years
ago by the Hon. GEORGE CHANDLER Of New
York, Assistant Secretary OF the Interior,
and at that time the acting Secretary. He
irehiscd to issue n patent to the PERRISEs
ON the ground hat the conditions under
which the land was granted to the
PERRISEs had never been complied with.
and that II there was any redress for the
heirs 1t must come through an act Of Con-
gress, the original grantor. Congress alone
had the power to renew the grant or to
declare 1t forfeited and void. The argu-
ment Of the present occupants of
the Interior Department, in defence
Of their proceeding, seems to he
that because Congress had never for.
feited the grant and declared II void,
therefore, even in defiance Of the conditions
imposed by Congress, the patent completing
the grant might issue at any time by execu-
tiye authority, without further legislation
So the patent is issued, one month before
the Cleveland Administration goes out.
The PERRISEs, no doubt, are all chuck.
ling, but the patent is issued to them one
month too soon for the welfare Of the Hon.
GROVER CLEvELAND's reputation as a pub.
lie trustee. II the PERRINEs have a good
case, and the investigation thus far does
not warrant US In assuming that their
equity is as plain a. a pikestaff, they
would have lost nothing by waiting forty
days longer for the patent which they have
been demanding In vain for moro than forty
years. And by allowing the case to be de.
cidcd by tho Secretary Of the Interior and
the Land COMMISSIONS and the Assistant
Acknowledgement Of a President who is not
the stepson-in.law of the most conspic.
uous claimant, they would have avoided a
very unpleasant scandal in the last days of
the stepson.i in laws Administration.