The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-12-22
THE NATIONAL HONOR SAVER

The failure of the Walsh banks
in Chicago is another instance of
the man who, under the guise OF
raising the national honor" feather
ed his own nest The McCalls, the
Morton's, the McCurdy's, the Walshs'
and the rest of the clan of graft
ers have made merchandise of their
pretended patriotism. Not the least
of the sins of Walsh was his betrayal
of the Democratic party in 1896. He
owed peculiar obligations to the State
organization about 1892, when the
Republicans having obtained control
of all the leading political papers IN
Chicago, the Democratic leader eS-
tablished the Chicago Chronicle as an
exponent of the then victorious De
mocracy, then in control of city, state
and nation. Mr.. Walsh came into con-
troll of the Chronicle because of his
loud confession of devotion to Democ-
racv. And vet, when the critical mo-
ment came and Walsh owed it to the
party to defend it, he made his pa
per the most vicious vehicle of slam
der of the party he professed to serve
of any paper in the United States
And later, when the South refused
to be seduced from Democracy, his
so-called Democratic paper began
crusade to have it's representation in
Congress reduced and out Crumpack-
cred CrumDacker in hostility toward
the South.
That record of party recreancy
ought to have opened the eyes OF the
people to Walsh. Some people
made a study Of his methods and
found that he was one of the conspic-
uous figures in Chicago, that stood
for graft and every evil of municipal
government. Some months ago, Lin
coin Steffens, who has made a study
Of, craft ard corruption, wrote this
of Walsh in McClure's Magazine:
1.-THE Council was the heart of tn"
corrupt (politicaD system of Chicago.
In front of the Council We're two finan-
cial rings One of these was intact
when | began my study in Illinois.
This is the ring which centers in the
Chicago National Bank-John X.
Walsh, president. Walsh is DEM
ocrat. He is the owner of the DEM
ocratic party organ, the Chronicle.
and the power behind the throne OF
the Democratic bosses. The power
behind the throne Of the Republican
bosses is John NJ. Smyth, the head OF
one of Chicago's big stores" Smyth,
10 director
bank of Walsh, (Democrap, and its
former cashier, now vice-president, IS
Fred M. Blount, an active Republican,
politician.
sThe great graft of the Chicago Re
publicans is PUBLIC contracts, and they
control the sources of contracts-State
and county boards, and, through
Judges like Hanecy and the Governor
park boards. Lorimer, RepupllcaH
boss, was a street-car driver, put IN
politics he became a contractor ana
= friend of Walsh. Walsh is treas
urer OF the South Park Board; Wll-
liam Best. is a member Of the board
and so is Lyman A. Walton, vice
president Of (Walsh's) Equitable
Trust Company, Blount, vice preSl-
dent of the Chicago National Bank,
has been treasurer of the West Park
Board and of the Sanitary Board. inc
latter is the board Wnlcn mas SPeit
millions to reverse the Chicago river
and make 1.-THE citys sewer-run
ont instead of into the lake. This de-
veIoDed a water power which the
board once proposed to sell to a pri-
vate corporation Thomas M. Smyth,
is an ex-president Of the board.
Contracts from all these boards
have gone sometimes to Democratic
firm. like Lyden & Drews Oyden is
nephew of ex-Mayor Hopkns)'
more often to Lorimer firm. Walsh's
institutions bond public officials ana
public officials deposit funds IN ms
institutions. SO do many of the po-
liticians and sporting people. Here
briefly outlined, is one great business
ring which profits by, is satisfied with
and gives financial aid and moral sup p
port to the debased political system
of the city, county and State