The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-24
A" MINOR DIFFERENCE"

MINOR DIFFERENCE"
Of all the democratic members of the
United States senate, Allen g. Thurman
has decidedly stood the highest in public
esteem. He has been regarded as more of
statesman than politician and, as such,
has commanded the respect and confidence
of the country. In nothing has he scquit-
ted himself with more credit or gained
more honor than in his manly, independent
stand against the reactionary policy of his
party. Like rock has he stood and, with
all his conceded ability, has he resisted the
finsncial hereeies of Pendleton and his
western democratic associates, and demand
ed for the country hard money. In his
place in the senate, repeatedly has he
claimed that the business depression of the
country was due to overtrading, running
too much in debt and embarklng in unremu-
nerative enterprises, and not to an attempt
to resume specie payments, "for," as he
said, " nobody could say that, who knew
" anything about the subject" He tells
us that imitation means " demonetizing
g gold and silver in perpetuity, and substi-
L" tuting a currency of irredeemable paper,
based wholly and entirely upon govern
ment credit, and depending upon the
opinion and interests of members of con-
"gress and their hopes of popularity,
g whether the volume of it shall be large
" or whether it shall be small. This is
" what this imitation means. have never
said anything 10 favor of that. am too
d" old-fashioned democrat for that. l have
9" heard AM preached too many hard
g money lesson, to advocate such theory
I" as that and although there are many
friends who differ with me in opinion
" and from whom 1t pair. me to differ, |
cannot give up the convictions of life
" time, whether they I've popular or unpop-
I" ular; whether they please or displease."
Such WAS Allen G. Thurman one year
ago, and such was his financial policy,
speaking as statesman and senator.
We take it that the senator may be con-
sidered a fair representative of the better,
tie best class of democrats. A man of
more than average ability, II deep thinker
and ready debater, of objectionable in
tegrity and spotless reputation, any party
might be proud of him, and the democracy
have been accustomed to answer assaults on
the party by pointing to their great leader
Allen G. Thurman. He has heretofore
justified their pride. His record was good
and he must have been very fastidious in
deed, be he democrat or republican, who
could not assent to his financial policy.
There was one honest man, who denounced
initiation, because it meant irredeemable
paper money instead of specie, currency
based, not on gold and silver, but on the
credit of the government and whose volume
depended upon the interests of members of
congress and their hopes of popularity.
He never had and never could advocate
such opinions. He was too old democrat
and had preached too many hard money
sermons to change, and he never would Of
could advocate such opinions or assent to
them, neither could he change his opinion:
because they were popular or unpopular
whether they please or displease."
He could not change he tells us, but un
fortunately for his reputation and consist
ency as statesman, his opinions were no
popular" with, and "displeased" the dem
ocrats of Ohio. In state convention as
sembled, they pronounced Enthusiastically fol
initiation, and deprecated all efforts looking
toward resumption of specie payments.
They demanded that the volume of the
currency should be increased, that treasury
notes should be made legal tender to the
exclusion of specie, and that the govern
ment should issue "greenbacks" enough tc
meet the "wants of trade" and that the is
sue thereof should be "kept equal" to suct
wants-and such "wants Of trade" we take
it must be determined either by the secre-
tary of the treasury for the time being Of
by members of congress according to theil
"interests" land "their hopes of popularity.
Could anything be more dramatically op
posed to the views and settled convictions
the hard money sermons of Allen G.. Thur
man the statesman And he could neve
change his opinions whether he differed
with and displeased his fricnda or not
whether he might be popular or unpop
ular. Yet the Ohio democracy construct
oil the platform, and Allen G. Thurman
the statesman, as suddenly as at the ''pres
10 .Ioaosn ,f n nrootid;r;totor hacomaa Il
len G. Thurman the politician and make
haste to scramble upon the platform ant
he stands there to-day sad example o
the faith that can be placed In the pledges
views or policy of statesmen or politicians
He shall announce his regeneration TO
himself. The evening of the day when tn
heresy of initiation was made carolina
principle of democratic politics, Senate
Thurman was serenaded and responded q
follows: 81 suppose that have attends
" in the course of my life, not less tina
thirty democratic state conventions in thi
city, for ! began before had much hal
on my face. But | cannot remembe
one at the close of which there was no
IS some disappointment felt by some one
g either at the defeat of some particula
candidate for nomination, or at some
thing that was contained, or somethin
I" that was omitted, from the platform
adopted and 1t must ever be 30
" must ever be that men-good men-shal
=" lose. But independently of that tn
men who dare to think, to think boldly
to think independently-they will diffe
in opinion from other men as good a
they, and consequently some one mus
"be disappointed
He is disappointed" is he Well h
may be but what does he propose to do
Does he propose to continue the figl