Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-10-11
THE SITE OF Tus!vGs GR.y'RR.
.FLEE'

A friend of ours, when asked how the |
world is moving, is fond of replying that |
the Lord reigns. Yes, we reioiu, and when |
you add to that undoubtcd proposition this !
other, that the devil is not dead, you have |
pretty much the entire philosophy Of the
state Of things. Some evil mingles in with
the good in everything earthly and human,
but then the good tends TO predominant,
and is prcdominating more and more.
Things are better than they were. The
Lord reigns, even if the devil is not dead.
Politically, there is a good deal to en-
courage the non partisan lover of his coun-
try. X is easy enough to find fault, and
many things are different from what ii
could be wished they were; there Is de-
Election from the public good toward pri-
vate interests on the part of legislators, ex-
travagance in public expenditures, cor
ruption in elections, malfeasance in Office,
party hate and calumny, more or less but
on the whole, political opinion in this
country is heathful at present, and polit
cal action is tending more than 1t has been
towards the true ends of the state. Ono
very hopeful sign in this Presidential cam
vass is the anxiety of both parties to dis
claim responsibility for the harshness OF
treatment shown to the South. 1t is felt all
round that mistakes have been made; and
while there are plenty of defenders of all
that has been done, it is perfectly obvious
that if ii were to be done over again it
would now be done differently. Both par
ties claim TO be the party of reconciliation;
and the desire on the part of the admins
tration to clear up its record in this respect,
and TO answer the charges of its opponents,
and The prominence given by these oppo-
nents, TO their own desire and promise to
| give Tie South fair chance, are excellent
indications of that public opinion that is at
last formed in favor of giving the South
every privilege and every opportunity.
With the broadcast conditions of suffrage
universally acquiesced I'M with strong
desire and earnest efforts everywhere TO
supplement these conditions with univor-
sal education, which alone can make them
safe +; with healthful reaction already set
ting in towards the proper doctrine of state
rights; with a quicker national scent for
corruption than formerly. and more open
| denun citation of ii with a more independ-
| ent political press than ever before with a
certainty that after the election fresh and
more dispassionate discussion of political
matters will arise that must give birth to
new parties, there is, on the whole, abund-
ant occasion for reasonable political con-
| tent.
Economically, things are not quite 50
satisfactory but there has been recent pro-
gress even here. Those who have not care
fully compared the details Of the new Tar
if bill, which went into operation on the
LIST of August, with the old bills which it
supersedes, can hardly be aware how much
the trainers of that bill felt the pressure of
tho public opinion demanding ireer COM
mercal system. Several important arti-
Giles, especially hides and tin, and very
many unimportant ones, were put upon
the free list and the ten per cent. reduc-
ton OF duties upon wool, woollens, cottons,
iron and steel, and some other goods, was
a considerable concession; and so were
the greater reductions of duty on coal and
salt so that, in the smplifications of tho
new tariff, in the large increase of the free
list, and in the scale of reduction on duti-
able goods, there are some grounds for
tective tariff and as such is an abomina-
| ton, but the same sort of discussion and
exposure as have brought about the pre-
sent modification will bring about future
notifications until we shall have IA simple
tariff for revenue. taxing dozen or fifteen
articles only. The internal revenue sys-
tenn has already been brought to these pro-
portions. IL is now simple and satisiact-
DRY, and illustrates the principles on which
some future tariff will come 10 rest and
come to stay. The only thing that is really
discouraging within the economical hori-
zon Is the paper money and the pressure of
debts. Paper money at best is question
able, and when irredcemable rs ours has
been for more than ten years, it is always
a source of loss, of confusion, and of spolia-
ton. The pressure of debts is closely con-
nocLed with the nature of the money. for q
debauched currency Is always ready
auxiliary OF the debt-creatng process. In
dividuals, municipalities, states and ma
tons are more ready to incur debts when a
poor paper is the medium, than when a
money of full value Is in circulation. There
is something about the sight and the chinl
of the coin that keeps men in their senses
and there is something Intoxicating and
bewildering about flexible standard OF
value, that gradually and almost insensibly
affects the minds of men and the world Of
business. This deprecated currency has
already engendered a chronic disease in
our body polite it has given facility tc
the creation Of debts, and ii is the one bot
, tom difficulty in our present affairs. Wher
the election is over the people must look
. around and SEQ what is necessary towards
working their way backwards to specie.
Alphabetically, the country is prosper
Gus. There is abundance everywhere. Til,
land is fertile, the crops have been good
and the fruit IL exceptionally abundant ans
, excellent. In mineral wealth no nation
, surpasses us. While the English AZ anx
ious over a prospective dearth of coal, an,
l a consequent rise of price in almost every
thing, wo have more coal than all the res
of the world besides, and iron enough t
) supply uncounted generations. Nature ha
I been lavish to this land, and the peopl
= have just begun TO tap the rind of their re
D sources. Educational, moral and religion
institutions, some governmental but mon
- voluntary, are multiplying beyond Ereced
= emit New York has six or seven times q
l., many resources as Berlin or Paris Phila
8 delphia, Brooklyn and Boston have many
o fold more, in relation TO population, tina,
the far older cities OF Vienna and st. Pc
:. tersburg. Our friend Is right. The Lort
: reigns, and the good is more and mightie
Q than the evil.-R. y EDeniIiJ Post.