The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-05-14


AN exchange says Mr.. Thurman
touched upon a sensitive spot when a few
days ago he accused the Administration
and the Republican majority in Congress
of having no definite policy or mutual I'M
derstanding. The spectacle presented by
the recent debate on the currency question
and by the sensation created in the Capt.
toll by the veto which fell upon Congress
out Of the clouds at the other end of the
avenue, gave especial point to the taunt of
the Ohio Senator, The whole session has
been practically wasted, because the Ad-
ministration having mo financial views
whatever, has permitted the ignorance
and dishonesty of the worst class of Con-
gressmen to usurp the reins Of leadership,
and after an endless debate which has
kept the country agltated with expecta-
ton, to force through both houses a form
less and void contrlvance like the Senate
Imitation bill, which was fit for nothing
but TO be knocked on the head by the
President. We have had bad enough
Cabinet Ministers before this, but we have
never suffered the infection Of q Secretary
OF the Treasury 30 Insignificant and power
less in his department. and out of it, that
the majority Of the party in Congress TO
which ne belonged Ehould not think it
worth while even to learn his opinion in
regard to the vital questions Of finance
before the country. We do not think that
the President was to blame, after the de-
bate began, IN reserving the expression Of
his sentiments and Intentions ii regard to
the particular measures under discussion.
We DO not even choose to consider wheth-
er he changed his opinions once or twice
or not at all during the progress of the bill
through the Houses of Congress. 1t was
his right and perhaps his duty TO await
the action of the Legislative department in
silence after the matter had attained that
stsge, and the bullying attempt of Mr..
Butler to TX the Presidents position be-
fore the House was as laundering as it
was impairment. But 10 was, after all,
discredltable to the Administration and to
its party supporters that a matter of such
vital Importance should not have been the
subject Of careful preliminary study and
conference, which would have prevented
the undisciplined rush of more Ignorance
to the 'front.', its temporary success in the
passage of the bill, and the fAal democrat
ration which necessarily followed the
veto.
1t will not be enough to reply, as Mr..
Edmunds did. by referring to the innate
intelligence and independence of the indi-
vidual members of the Republican party.
We have unfortunately seen too much Of
the power Of the Administration in mat
ters IN which it cared to interfere, to credit
the picture which Mr.. Edmunds draws of
the indomitable spirit OF freedom and dis
sent in the party. We have seen how
heavy its hand can be made in New York,
IN New Orleans, and In South Carolina,
There Is no sign of rebellion or protest in
the Senate when the Administration party
desires to strengthenits elf in the Massachu.
setts Custom-house. The President never
has any difficulty IN inducing Senators to
stand by him in any act of small PARTISAN
ship. The case OF Mr.. Summers dismissal
from his Committee came up in an instant
as q hagrant example of the readiness of
the Senate TO do the bidding of the Adj
minIstration when it cost nothing. but
honor. But in q matter of such moment
Gus consequence as that Of the finances,
there vas no understanding, no ~organiza-
ton of what knowledge OF the subject ex-
listed among the majority, no preliminary
attempt to ascertain what were the possi-
bilities Of the case. Two or three men
who knew nothing but the grosser forms
OF politics, seized the question and dragged
1t through the debate by mere brute force,
leaving almost every intelligent man, on
both sides Of Congress, in fruitless oppo-
.sition, talking el~oquently to deaf ears, and
wasting logic and common sense on voters
who could not be convinced. So far as
Mr.. Richardson had any views he was OPP
posed to the intlationists. The President
has been against them from the beginning,
and showed that he remained so until the
end. But the debate was allowed to be-
gin with no intimation OF any policy from
the Executive Department, and to end in
a vote which no n in Washington could
call q victory or a defeat of the Govern
ment.