OCR Text |
Show Garland and Blaine. No one has a right to criticise a Democratic-or an independent newspaper for holding that Attorney-General Garland's connection with the Pan-Electric Telephone Tele-phone company, . while not necessarily corrupt, is in bad taste. These publications publica-tions are consistent in that position, having hav-ing held to it in the cases of other men, Republicans and Democrats alike. But any person is privileged to ask the Republican Re-publican organs how long it is since they discovered that the holding of stock in any speculative enterprises by public men was a wrong. Only a year and a half ago they devoted pages to prove that a Congressman who was interested in schemes on which he had to vote was simply a wise and forehanded man. In the, Fort Smith & Little ' Rock matter mat-ter Mr. Blaine wanted to "get in on the ground floor." He promised "to be no dead-head in the enterprise." As Speaker of the House of Representatives he was in a position to "make himself useful," and the record shows that he did not fail to keep his promise. Having said, written writ-ten and done all these things, he then undertook to deny them all, and when confronted with the proofs, after making a bluffing exhibition cn the floor of Congress, Con-gress, he resigned his seat in time td cut Bhort the investigation. . Men who could see only the highest virtue in all this are effectually stopped from criticising Mr. Garland. That gentleman has done nothing as yet that he or any .other man would not have done whether they owned stock or not. He has openly stated that he has stock in his possession. He has not begged to get in on the ground floor, and he has not seen various channels in which he could make himself useful. In fact, he has refused from the. first to take action, which it might be considered his duty to take. His retention of the stock after entering the Cabinet was a mistake, but there has been nothing corrupt about his official actions with reference to it. By reason of his perfect candor in the matter and the absence of incriminating letters and performances, Mr. Garland wouldhardly .be a tough enough man for the Jim Blaine element to nominate for the Presidency. Chicago Herald, Feb. 8th. |