The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-24
CAMPAIGN LIES.

CAMPAIGN LIES.
In an effort to show the possible re-
suits of the circulation of campaign
lies the Republican Publicity associa-
ton harks back to the Cleveland
Blaine campaign OF 1884. It tells the
story as follows:
In 1884 James C. Blaine was
matched against Grover Cleveland in
the contest for the presidency. A
week before the election the success
7 of the Republican ticket seemed as
sured, and that thousands of Irishmen
thruout the country had decided to
vote for Blaine was a certainty. On
October 20 of that year Blaine met in
the Fifth Avenue hotel, New York
City, a deputation of about a thousand
ministers of every denomination,
whose resolutions recited that we be-
lieve that the triumph of the prin-
ciples of the Republican party is es-
sential to the welfare of the country"
and that it was expected the people
would vote for virtue in the home,
for protection for the rights of the
humblest citizens at home and abroad,
for protection for American industries,
for the settlement of international diff
ferences by arbitration" etc, etc, by
voting the Republican ticket at the
ensuing national election"
It fell to the lot of an over-zealous
divine, LIT. samuel BuTCHaIu, 10 Qe-
liver the address to Mr.. Blaine, in the
course of which he said: I'VE are
Republicans and don't propose to leave
our party and identify ourselves with
the party whose antecedentS have been
rum, Romanism and rebellion" Be-
fore dark of that afternoon the streets
of New York were Uttered with hand
bills containing the words, Rum, Ro-
manism and Rebellion" Thereafter
the words of Doctor B6rohard, utter
ly disclaimed by Mr.. Blaine, were re-
peatedly put in the mouth of the Re
publican candidate, and in the election
results of November Cleveland beat
Blaine by $4,000 in the popular vote
and thirty-seven electoral. The pol
son had done its work. The most
brazen, despicable lie in our political
history up to that time had defeated
a man whose record was above re-
proach The vicious element in the
Democratic party perjured its leader
into the White House.
It so happens that a considerable
part OF the foregoing recital does not
coincide with the facts of history.
This is true in so large q measure as
to render it almost certain that the
Burchard speech had little to do with
the defeat of Blaine
The facts are that when the count
Of the ballots was completed it was
found that the election hinged on the
vote of the state of New York in the
electoral college and that the result in
the state hinged on the vote in New
York City and Blaine had carried the
city by small margin.
Tammany leaders were in control of
the city's election machinery and they
at once proceeded to count Blaine out.
This was accomplished by taking votes
from the Ben Butler column and set
ting them over into the Democrat col
umn. Republican leaders in New
York permitted this to be done with
out protest because they never wanted
Blaine to be president. The result
was that after several days of SEEM
ing uncertainty it was announced that
Cleveland was elected. The Green
hackers did not object because their
candidate was defeated anyhow.
The same sort of thing was done IN
Kansas in 1890. when John F. Willis.
Popu1ist candidate for governor, re-
ceived a plurality of the votes cast.
Faithful Republican county clerks in
the short grass country tookvotes from
the Robinson column and placed them
to the credit of the G. o. P. candidate
and he was declared elected.
The Democrats had lost interest in
the election and made no protest. The
Populists simply did not know. at that
time, what had hit them. They knew
they had won but they could not prove
it. About week was required for
the necessary shifting of votes.
After all, voters do not pay much at
tention to a campaign lie unless they
are willing and eager to do so.