The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-15

the great substitute for money. All this hap
pened in the very height of the season for
moving the crops. 1t is not surprising that
the vivid impression outlasted the calamity,
and that the West, whose business suffered
most looks forward with anxiety to the COM
ing autumn. When the Western people find
they get through it safely and easily, there
will be an ebb of the imitation tide favorable
to revised legislation next winter. Had West
ern opinion been different, there would have
been great advantages in q revision of the
currency laws at this session. But Western
opinion being what it is, the country will gain
much by the postponement for which it is
wholly indebted to the combined frmness and
wisdom of General Grant.
We believe the President has served his
party instead of injuring it by forcing post
ponement of legislation on this subject till the
next session. The party in its collective
capacity is, no doubt, responsible; but re-
sponsbihty for doing nothing is not so heavy
o load as responsibility for bad laws. Con-
gress did act ; it did pass bill through both
houses in the customary form. 1t cannot
therefore, be held responsible for the fact that
nothing has been done. Whether for praise
or for blame, the fact that we do not get
a new currency law this session is due to
President Grant. Congress cannot be cen
sured for non-action, but only for wrong
action. If the republican party is held up to
reprobation because nothing has been done, it
must be the republican party as represented
by the vetoing President; but he cannot be
blamed for. the deadlock without indorsing in
fation and supporting Congress. The demo-
Gratis are under moral and political compul.
sion to support the policy of the President if
they present the currency issue at all, and it
is not easy to see how they can do much harm
to the republican party by extolling the views
and indicating the course of its elected Off
cial head. They are also under peculiar
disability, of which their opponents will be
likely to make handle, by their formal sepa-
ration of fiscal questions from the domain Of
party responsibility in the last Presidential
election We refer to their curious declaration
on the tariff in their national platform of 1872,
wherein they acknowledged irreconcilable diff
ferences among themselves upon this ques-
ton and RENTED it to the separate Congress
sional districts for settlement. Such trimming
subterfuges are pretty certain to bring their own
punishment, sooner or later. The democratic
party, by committing itself to the doctrine
that party responsibility does not extend to
questions on which the party differs, and dis
missing such questions to the Congressional
districts, bound itself to regard the President
and not Congress as the exponent of party
policy, and drew line of discrimination which
it cannot now attempt to obliterate without
exposing itself to ridicule. If the doctrine Of
the democratic platform that the President
alone represents the policy of political party,
and that it is not compromised by irreconcila-
BILE differences on great questions among It's
Congressman, be sound political ethics, then
the republican party deserves all the praise
which attends the action of the President and
none of the blame which belongs to Congress
We dare say the democracy will not again dig
such pit for themselves to fall into