Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-10-14
Facts and Promises.


Facts and Promises
THE result of the elections In Maine
and Vermont shows that the intelligent
people of the country are not yet disposed
TO prefer the smooth promises of the Dem
ocratic party to the imposing and crafty
ing facts of Republican administration.
Immediate interest in politics is undoubt-
edly concentrated upon the financial ques.
ton. Is the Administration of General
Grant honest, efficient, and economicalp
If that question can be satisfactorily an.
swered, 1t Is enough. The "splendor" OF |
administration, indeed, which was antici'
pated by some persons, may not appear |
in the faithful and steady care OF the pub
lie interest which has thus far dlstin. |
guished the Presidency of Grant. But
there is something better than splendor |
An elaborate article in the North ArnerI- |
can ReOieto for July arraigns the Admins
tration as substantially failure. But the
article, although pointedly and effectively
written, Is exactly not what is assumes to
bean impartial review of the Admins
tration. 1t brilliantly emphasizes some of
its mistakes and failures, but it carefully
omits any allusion to the considerations
which entitle 1t to public confidence.
The article of which we speak elabo.
rately criticises, for instance, the financial
management the Administration. With
much that 1t says we are disposed to
agree. 1t is, perhaps, to be regretted that
the sole aim of the Secretary of the Treas
ury seems to have been to pay off the ns.
| tional debt Immediately, and without suf-
fcient regard for other considerations and
the whole situation of affairs But, on
the other hand, an Administration which
can show such financial results as those
| contained in the statement Of the 9th of
September from Acting Secretary Rich
ardson, merits other mention than the in
| discriminate censure which the article
| lavishes. The speech of Vice-President
Colf4x at South Bend may also be dill
| gently and probably studied in illustra-
ton ofthe silent but most significant good
work of the administration.
In brief, it appears officially that the
net increase in the receipts of the gov.
eminent during the eighteen months
| from the 1st of March, 1869, to September
1, 1870, over those of the next preceding
| eighteen months was more than $S7 000,-
600. The comparative decrease of ex-
| penditures during the same time was
nearly $93 900 coo. The whole amount
gained by the increase of receipts and de-
crease of expenditures was thus more than
| $l70,000,00 During the same time the
interest account shows q net decrease OF
more than $l7,000,000, while in the
eighteen months of the Grant Administra.
tion the public debt has been reduced
nesrly $4,000 0000 AL this has been
effected, it will be remembered, by no in.
crease of the rate Of taxation nor of the
articles taxed, but while Congress has
bsen steadily reducing taxation, about
$50, 100000 having been thrown off at the
last session alone. 1t is evident, from
this statement, not only that the debt and
taxation have both been reduced, but thai
the public money is both collected and
distributed more honestly and economi
cally.
The force of such facts, which every in
telligent voter in the country can under
stand, ia not destroyed by the assertion
that the tariff is clumsy and unequal; mol
ia party which has produced such re
suits likely to be displaced by the alleged
uns0undness of the theories Of Secre
tary. A party is not judged ideally. The
practical question in politics is not one o.
abstract excellence, but of comparative
efficiency. This State and the country
have not now to decide whether they viii
frame perfect system of taxation, tc
be administered by infallible hands; bu
whether, taking all the facts together, the
Democratic party is more likely to give
US an honest and economical administra
ton than the Republican. The slterra
Tive is very simple. If the Republicans
90 out, the Democrats come In. And VIZ
have no doubt whatever that nineteenth!
of the intelligent people of this country
would consider such 3 resulta dire nation
al misfortune.
1t is not because the Administration O
General Grant is what may be called
splendid" word which is often ap
piled to policy of the most injurious ma
tional tendescy, nor because it has no
made mistakes, nor because all those who
support it are wise OF honorable men, nol
because there has not been much disap
pointment of many kinds, that it really
has the confidence of the country; bu
because there is universal and profounC
impression as we believe, tn,
facts justify-that it has sought will
sEaunch fidelity the public welfare, that i
has aimed at an honest management o
public affairs, and that it has been able Il
, prove its economy and efficiency in thos
very directions in which there is the mos
. popular concern. No truly patriotic o
thoughtful citizen is likely to carry hi
criticism of certain details of Republical
! administration to the point of connivini
at the success of party identified witt
electoral frauds, with the mad extrava
garce of New York municipal govern
msnt, which denies the validity Of tn
new constitutional amendments, an
would tear open every question wbiel
the war ought finally to have settleC
I The elections in Maine and Vernon
J prove that the public Judgment OF tn
: two parties is virtually unchsnged.-Ha'
1 per's Weekly.