Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-03-10

GreSSInen OufalQe OF Now England. IN
the First Missouri district the Demo-
cratic candidate at the byeleotion re-
ceiyed LOCO more majority than the
Democratic nominee at the regular cleo
ton. A similar change all over the
country would give us II seats. In
Judge Holman's Indiana district the
percentage of Democratic gains, IL ap-
piled to the whole country, would give
us 90 seats. In the Chicago district at
the general election the Republican
nominee had about $500 plurality,
which at the special election was cut
down to 500. This percentage of change
would give us 30 seats now held by Re-
p~ublieans, or a majority Of 48 in the
next house.
The most astounding change, how
ever, was in the Brooklyn district, now
represented by Mr.. briggs. a Democrat,
who was elected at q special election by
about 2, 200 plurality. At the regular
election o Republican was elected by
1900 plurality, which was a net gain
Of 1850 for the Democrats and a net
loss Of 4. $50 to the Republicans, max
ing a difference in the result Of $500.
Such a gain in percentage as that all
over the country would elect only from
rs to 100 Republicans and give us a ma
jority of from 100 to $50.
One Hundred Dollars a Plate.
Two events of vast Importance in the
career Of Mr.. Attorney General Griggs
happened recently: /. Thirty Of his
multimillionaire friends, headed by
Vice President Hobart, gave him a
spread which cost 800 a plate. 2. He
was admitted to practice in the su-
preme court Of the United States! Now,
this latter syent is . sumner. 1t proves
conclusiyely that General Griggs was
not appointed to an Office which has
been coveted by all the great lawyers Of
the land, filled by some Of them and
which none but the greatest lawyers
should hold by reason Of his capacity
as a lawyer. That's clear as crystal.
Had he been a great lawyer he would
have been admitted to practice in the
supreme court long ago-not that all
great lawyers have been admitted to
practice In that court, for a great many
Of them live at great distances and can
afford to practice in that court only in
cases involving very large interests,
but Attorney General Griggs lives and
all his life has lived within sever hours
ride of Washington and yet had
been employed in a case Of sufficient
magnitude to necessitate his admission
to the bar of the supreme court! I IN
dertake to say without fear of successful
contradiction that there is not a lawyer
fit to be attorney general residing with
in seven hours ride of Washington who
has not been admitted to practice in the
supreme court; no, not one. On the
roll of attorneys Of that court there are
scores of Republican lawyers who pos
sess the necessary qualifications for the
attorney generalship-great lawyers,
stanch Republicans, men whose brain
and law learning would honor the po-
sition.
A Tool of PIutocrats.
Why were these passed over and Gen.
eral Griggs chosen, a man who
had a case in the supreme court? That
multimillionaire banquet explains the
mystery. He was chosen because he
could be depended on to act as the sup
pie tool of the plutocrats who are at
this very moment engaged in plundering
both the government and the people at
large. They have nov in process Of ao-
complishment the theft of some 81, 000,-
900 in the Kansas Pacific railroad deal,
and they needed a friendly attorney
general, and they got him.
+ Since the far famed exploit by which
Cleopatra astonished Mark Antony by
gulping down a costly pearl dissolved
in wine no such caper in gastronomics
has been performed as the Griggs 800
a plate banquet. B~elshazzar's feast
wasn't in 1t for one minute. But from
Belshazzan to. Griggs Belshazzar feasts
nuye Deem ruinous TO sne participants.
Belshazzar's death warrant was served
on him at his own table by the King Of
kings. At another Belshazzar feast at
Delmonico's Chester A. Arthur, vice
president elect, made that ~disgraceful
"soap'' speech which aided materially
In driving the Republican party from
power. Still another Belshazzar feast
knocked James Gillespie Blaine out Of
the presidency, and now comes General
Griggs with his plutocratic feast, which
beats Belshazzar hollow at his own
game. One hundred dollars q plate!
Shades Of Lucullus and Epicurus, think
Of thatl Equal to 100 bushels of wheat,
or 400 bushels Of corn, or 2, 900 pounds
Of fresh pork, or five bales of cotton, or
o span Of mules, or a four horse team,
or a New England farmi
Edmund Randolph, John Breckin-
ridge, William Writ, John J. Critten-
den, William Pinckney, Roger B. Ia
ney, Jere Black, Edward Bates, William
M. Evarts, Augustus H. Garland and
other great attorneys general who have
shed imperishable luster upon Amer
lean Jurisprudence knew a good deal Of
law, no doubt; but, poor things, they
never rose to the distinction Of eating a
dinner at $100a plate. They discharged
their high duties here with consummate
ability and then joined the great ma
jority, never dreaming that such an
amazing thing could happen. That su-
preme honor-that conclusive proof of
fitness for the highest law Office in the
world-was reserved for Mr.. Attorney
General Griggs.
On the Road to the Deuce.
The party which began with Abra-
ham Lincoln, "the immortal rail split
ter" who once pathetically declared
that the entire history Of his ancestors
might be condensed into Gray's phrase,
"The short and simple annals Of the
poor" and which in 83 years has reach
ed Griggs with his 800 plate. is travel
ing at the pace that kills-dead sure
pop.
Lincoln's happy characterization of
ours as "a government Of the people by
the people and for the people, " at the
present rate of evolution, must soon be
changed into "a government of pluto
Gratis by piutocfats and for plutocrats."
- city CHAMP CLARK.
The Klondykers Heard From.
Thia mOrninp Mrs. James Marshali