Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-08-30
Cnntinned fto,n 49, naae.

seems 10 mo W COiiuihSs hOAO ou"h
any man now before the public,
hardly excepting Mr.. Adams, of
Massachusetts,, the two great kinds
of quality, theoretic and practical,
which form the true statesman /; q
profound understanding of the
philosophic grounds Of political
opinion, and the sagacious tact and
energy of the man of business.
This union of theoretical insight
with practical capacity has been
singularly shown in his administra-
ton of the affairs of this State
New York is the largest common
wealth of the Union, the largest in
population, in agricultural products,
manufacturing enterprise, in COM
mercial capital-in word, in the
diversity and Importance of its
business relations; and the Gov
ernorship there is not mere cleri-
cal function, confined to the APP
pointment of notaries and the sign
ing of commissions, as in many of
the new Western States, but an
onerous, intricate and responsible
trust. The Governor is vested with
the veto, which makes him part
of the legislative power, while his
executive connection with the COM
plicated business of the quarantine,
the salt works, the State prisons
and charities, and an immense sys-
ten of canals, imposes upon him
the most varied and difficult stud
les. Mr.. Tilden in his short ten
ure of the place has evinced mas
terly fitness for all its duties. He
has defeated a multitude of ill-con-
sidered and improper bills, rectified
many minor errors of administra-
ton, overthrown a fraudulent, gigan-
tic conspiracy, and reduced taxation
from over Sl5,000,000 in 1875 to
less than SS,000,000 in 1876, with
an assurance that if the changes he
has suggested are followed, the de-
crease will be two or three millions
more in 1867. A part of this re-
duction is due to the extinction of
the bounty debt, but the rest to
Gov. Tilden's direct efforts and in
fuence.
have said that Mr.. Tilden was
more of a partisan than suited my
own temperament, but l ought in
Justice to add that he was never so
much of partisan as to render
himself insensible to the higher
duties of the citizen. He separat-
ed from the bulk of his own party
in this city, with other Free Sellers
of this State, when we thought it
advisable TO protest against certain
encoachments of slave power. He
separated from the bulk of his par
ty in this city when he undertook
to beat down the infamous Tweed
gang, intrenched by the laws, and
possessed of an almost overwhelm-
ing force. It was against the adj
vice of many of the most eminent
men of his own party that he as
sailed the canal ring, whose ramifi-
cations extended through nearly
every county in the State, and
whose wealth and influence were
supposed to be invincible. And it
was against q large and well-com-
bined fsction of his own party that
he lifted it at st. Louis out of the
quagmires of doubt and error in
which it WAS foundering, and plac-
ed it on the high ground of its an
cient traditions. Mr.. Tllden is
and wary, and never acts
until assured of foothold on truth
and right; but then he is an tenac-
ious in pursuit as sieuth-hound,
and absolutely inhexible.
The platform adopted at st. Louis
reads, to me, from beginning to
end, as an earnest and vigorous cry
for better condition of things
1t is clear, outspoken and positive,
evading no real issue, and treating
those it touches with refreshing
boldness and decision. The philos-
ophy of politics which prevades its
general uttarances is, to my mind,
the soundest, greatest, truest, that
the human mind has yet attained.
1t is the philosophy on which our
institutions are distinctively built.
The enormous Capitalization which
has grown up since the war-al-
most imperceptible, perhaps-it
denounces as the most formidable |
danger in our existing position
and while it frankly and manfully |
accepts the war and the legislative
results of the war, in permanent
and Interchangeable settlement of
conflict now forever past, it de-
mands thorough regeneration of
essential political practice and doc
trine. It demands a reduction in
the public expenditures; it de-
mands a readjustment of our cost
ly and oppressive modes of taxa
ton it demands accusation in the |
prohigate misuse and waste of the |
public lands it demands a reorgan-
ization of the civil service, which
is fruitful source of the prevail
ing corruption; it demands a change
in bad practice which has render
ed appointments to Office the re-
ward for service to Congressman
and Senators; it demands frugali-
ty, simplicity, capacity and homes
ty in all public Offices; and last,