Chester A. Arthur Quotes
Indiana was really, I suppose, a Democratic State. It has always been put down in the book as a state that might be carried by a close and careful and perfect organization and a great deal of [from audience: "soap," in reference to purchased votes, the word being followed by laughter]. I see reporters here, and therefore I will simply say that everybody showed a great deal of interest in the occasion, and distributed tracts and political documents all through the country.
Arthur, Chester A. Speech honoring Stephen W. Dorsey, 11 Feb. 1881. Quoted in Thomas C. Reeves, Gentleman Boss: The Life of Chester A. Arthur, Alfred A. Knopf, 1975, p. 214.
This is one of the earliest documents articulating methods of campaigning in a democracy.
Catledge came to California to cover the gubernatorial race between incumbent Republican Governor Merriam and writer Upton Sinclair, an avowed socialist who was running neck and neck. Palmer was then the Political Editor of the Los Angeles Times and his newspaper never covered anything Sinclair did for the campaign and only covered Merriam. Catledge observed that this was not only unfair but poor journalism.
She was the first member of the Senate to Condemn McCarthy for his abuse and lies. Led by her example, the other senators got over their fear of McCarthy attacking them and the Senate Censured the Demagogue. She had a significant role in stopping and censuring Joseph P. McCarthy, but her “Four Horsemen” have been a constant struggle for moderate Republicans thereafter. While she was one of America’s great senators, 60 years later she would not be able to be nominated by her own party it had moved so far to the right.
Sinclair was a writer who had written about some of the worst scandals in American politics, leaned toward socialized democracy, and decided to run as a reform candidate in California where he lived. He won the Democratic primary easily even though he had no money, political experience, or backing. He terrified the Republicans who ran one of the dirtiest campaigns in American History (see {619613}) to defeat him spending more money than in any election up to then including the Presidential elections. Sinclair lost, but it was close.
Chester Alan Arthur was an American attorney and politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885. Previously the 20th vice president, he succeeded to the presidency upon the death of President James A. Garfield in September 1881, two months after Garfield was shot by an assassin.
