Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-01-24
[special Washington Letter.l

Especial Washington letter.
A bull in a china shop would be re-
garded by the average machine Repub-
lican as an amiable companion when
compared with Hon. Hazen S. Pingree,
late Republican governor of Michigan.
Whatever else may be said of Pingree,
he cannot be charged truthfully with a
lack of courage or frankness. In his
farewell message he took q parting
shot at his enemies, as follows: My
experience during my political life, ex-
tending over period of II years, has
convinced me that in order to secure
the full commendation of those who
consider themselves the better classes
the governor and other high officials
must do nothing to antagonize the
great corporations and the wealthy peo-
pie" If that be true, we have indeed
been brought to woeful plight by Re
publican maladministration.
Then Governor Pingree says: 81
make the prediction that unless those
in charge, and in whose hands legisla-
ton is reposed, do not change the pres
ent system Of inequality in less than a
quarter of a century there will be a
bloody revolution in this great country
of ours" OF course for making that
startling prediction the AIichigander
has received a terrible lashing at the
hands of the Republican press. He has
been denounced as crank, demagogue,
blatherskite, etc., but nevertheless the
fact remains that he is Republican
Of high degree and that his prophecy
stands. Any Republican who has a
good word for what Abraham Lincoln
affectionately denominated 'the plain
people" is cocksure to be severely casti-
gated by Republican papers. 1t goes
without saying that no man of sense
of any party desires the revolution pre-
dicted by Pingree, but many men
good men at that, and not alarmists-
agree with the Michigan ex-governor
that such catastrophe is impending
unless things change.
William E. Chandler.
If Hon. William Eaton Chandler,
senior senator, and soon to have the
right to prefix the hateful tex" to his
title, will place to the ground his au-
ricular appendage-which Joe Black
burn of Kentucky pulled on n certain
historic occasion-he will hear hoarse
and triumphant hoot out among the
mountains of Montana. Whatever
people may conclude as to Senator Will
liam A. ,Clark's election, nobody at
all acquainted with Chandler's politi-
cal antecedents can for one moment
believe that his conduct touching
Clark's case was the result of any
high and patriotic motive, for it can
never be forgotten that Chandler was
the prime mover, the original insti-
gator in the most colossal crime ever
committed against human liberty
the theft of the presidency in 1876.
1t is written that the leopard cannot
change his spots or the Ethiopian his
skin, nor is it at all probable that the
New Hampshire senator was animated
in the Clark contest by any loftier pur-
pose than to secure his own reelection.
At the same time it must be confessed
that he served a useful purpose in the
senate and contributed largely to the
gayety of nations by waking up the
conscript fathers when they became
too sleepy. He is mischieyous as a
monkey, sly as. Major Joe @Bagstock,
nimble as cricket, smart as whip
and delighted to worry such solemn
and dignifed personages as Senator
Hoar and to set them by the ears. First
and last, William Eaton has managed
to extract a vast deal Of pleasure from
his IA years service i'll the senate.
Nevertheless 1t Is strange coinci.
dence, illustrative of the vicissitudes OF
political life, that the stroke of II high
noon, March 4, which marks his exit
perhaps and most likely his final exit
from the senate will also mark the re-
appearance in that body Of Senator
William A. Clark of Montana and Sen
ator Joe Blackburn Of Kentucky. II
Samuel J. Tilden knows what is hap
pening here, he will be happy at thai
hour.
Warming to the C. 0. p.
The Petroleum Gazette, "an inde
pendent oil and gas journal, as it de
scribes itself, and really with a decid
ed bias for Republican principles ant
schemes, can't stomach the Hanna
Payne shin subsidy. job and print.