The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-10-24
The Presidential Influence on Politics.

ihi lbbtff. III. Nl4flitfl. 10 llt Dp~illbl
Of Governor Of the District Of Columbia,
while fresh from "A series OF . improve
ments" closely resembling in character
and results those bestowed by Tweed and
Swceny ON New FORK City. Is rai,ingonce
more All over the country the question
whether reform within the party De- pos
sible. and il so. how il i To be brought
about. The arguments that We're used in
favor of leaving the work i'm the hand. OF
the present party managers during the
last Presidential campaign have been .en-
dcred useless by the Crcdii-MObilier eN-
posture. That proved to the satisfaction of
most people. that even if the work was e
De done inside the party lines Provi-
denoe had not yet provided the machinery
by which il wa t. be Effected. IL must BE-
admitted. too, that thehopelessne, : caused
by the history of the last session of Con-
gresS has not been relieved OF diminished
by the influence emanating from the White
House. The salary grab" was an Incl
dent of the same nature a the Credit-MO-
bilicr scandal. Ii was marked by the same
eagerness tor money. and Indifference 10
public opinion i'm the pursuit of money.
and the same inclination TO make identity
Of pecuniary interest a X the place. n a
bond OF union In public life. OF identity OF
feeling or opinion on great questions OF
public policy. We presume, Therefore.
that while few were surprised that Butler
engineered" ii. a great many Were SUR
| pri-ed and grieved that il should. while
putting "A handsome sum into the Presi-
dent, pocket. nave called forth no word of
criticism or remonstrance from him. We
do not pretend that his salary j. now toe
large, or that he j. lot fairly entitled OF
general grounds 10 what he has got. but
We think the country was not prepared TO
see him accept the Increase in silence and
under conditions 20 repulSiye. Ii, how
ever. he felt perpleNed, a he well might.
n 10 the proper mode OF dealing with such
extraordinary legislation. there was little
ground for hesitation a. To- what his atti-
tude and that of the administration should
be- toward it, promoters and their kind.
The cause of decency a. well a. Of civil
service reform certainly required that the
support of the Government should not be
extended to Butler in Massachusetts: and
people were asking themselves how the
President could be betrayed into such in
distortions. when the appointment of
Shepherd. backed by a testimonial letter.
set them TO asking still further whether
there i really a certain liking at the White
House for the class OF men 10 which But
Ter. shepherd. Murphy. Cameron and 9th
ers belong-that Is, the pushing. auda-
f4NUNs Ail-iiNIfilVu- tifi -tAN III
which make politics and money
getting 20 hand in hand. and work for
govemorships. and senatorships. and col
lectorships under the influence of the same
motives. and with almost the same Ian
guage. with which they engage in real
estate or railroad speculation. What j.
quite certain j. that this class. the class OF
not over nice but thoroughly successful
money gctters. have apparently more
weight in Washington than any other
class in the community. and get from the
Executive marks of esteem and even of
affection which the men whom the best
part OF the American community really
hOnorS look tor in vain. We doubt ii
there has ever bccn 4 time when signs of
intellectual superiority i'm any field were
OF less use or OF more disadvantage TO a
man in the highest political circles than
they are IN Washington to-day. and when
the possession of a comfortable pile of
money. acquired no matter how. counted
for more. This j. hard thing to say. and
a harder thing TO believe but ii i what
the mo-, intelligent and public-spirited
observers are saying and believing IN pri-
waite. The worst thing that can happen
from hurting il out j. that il may divide |
the party" or. in other words. produce
the calamity that would have resulted
from telling Butler at Worcester that un-
der no circumstances would the Republic
can party support him but thea people
are beginning to look on a division of the
party a. 10y no means the worst thing that f.
can happen them.
The importance Of these considerations
j. well shown by the discussion now going
on about a third term. under the some
what silly name of "tacsari>m.' Every
body knows that all talk of the establish
mcnt Of anything resembling tTSarism.
whether that of Rome or that of Paris. j.
simply an amusing way Of Filling news
paper columns during the dull season.
There never was. and never can be-. Crs-
ari>m OF any sort. without "A large stand
ing army. and in the absence OF a large
standing army no number of rc-elcciions
would do much 10 change the character of
the Presidential office. What one has 70
ask himself in considering the reelection
of General Grant or any one else 10 a
third term l. not. do we run "A risk of g.
tablishing q dcSpotism but. are the in
fluences which the prescntholdcr Of the Of
lice fosters, eithcrby his favor or society and
which. taken altogether. constitute what i
called a = regime" such a. il j. desirable
10 strengthen and p%rolongg For the IN
fluencc of the White House on the politi-
cal class i "A very powerful thing. II
makes or mars mems political fortunes; il
keeps them before the public eye or con-
sign, them To obscurity; il often gives
them a chance Of showing of what stun
thcv are made. or condemns them 20
grumbling inactivity. In other words. IL
has the power very largely Of creating q
political atmosphere. and directing politi-
cal ambition. Ii j. safe 10 say. for instance.
that General Grant. by his mode Of filling
the Treasury Department during the last
five years. might have created a totally
different IDEAL OF a finance minister and
financial policy from that with which the
public mind j. now filled. We might
multiply these Illustrations indefinitely.
Npx xhen xta .nusfI.riuU tbY lp-