Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-08-30

: party. His talents were respects
d BILE, but no more. He had neve
# been leader in any of the rela
) tions, civic or military, in which b
had acted. In that respect all hi
e competitors were greatly his supe
: riors. He had never been, in an,
0 sense of the word, a reformer.-
3 Indeed, it is said, though / canno
: vouch for the report, that he re
!, fused to accede to the resolutions
7 OF the New York Reform Clul
r when they were presented to hin
for acceptance. Certainly through
: all the dreadful exposures, which
: as our address says, drought shame
to the face of honest Americans,
he had raised no voice of rebuke
In his candidature for the Govern.
orship of Ohio he took position in
favor Of the evasive Resumption
act, but his opinions furthur than
that were either unknown or equiv
ocal. He had simply kept step
with his party, acquiescing in all
itsdilatC ~ and ineffective measures,
but never pushing one inch in ad-
vance.
Now, it would be simply ridicu-
ulous to discuss whether such q
candidate comes up to the high re-
quirements of the Conference ad-
dress. Mr.. Hayes never having in
any way identified himself with the
sentiment of reform, what assur-
ance have we that he ever will 4?
What guarantee is given us that he
will not fall into the hands of the
old political ringmasters, without
whose concurrence he could not
have been nominated, and will not
be elected2 Is he, in the words of
our symbol, publicly known to
possess those qualities of mind and
character which the stern task of
genuine reform requires Is he
''really the man to carry through
a thoroughgoing reform of the gov
ernment ! Can he with certainty
be depended upon to possess the
moral courage and sturdy resolu-
ton to grapple with abuses which
have acquired the strength of es-
tablished custom, and to this end,
firmly TO resist the pressure of his
party friends 2" Has he won, again
as our address demands and condi-
tions, "not only the confidence of
honest men, but the fear and hatred
of thievesw Is his name "already
a watchword for reform, whose ca
pacity and courage for the work
are matters of record rather than
of promise; who will restore the
independence and recti-
tude of the early administrations,
and whose life will be a guaranty
Of his fidelity and fitness; a man
at the sound of whose name even
the most disheartened will take
courage, and all mankind will say,
The Americans are indeed in ear
nest to restore the ancient purity
,f their government"
These words do not apply to
iov. Hayes; and it would be /,
lisingenuousness hard to charac- !
erize for those who wrote and '
dopted them to select one of the !,
cry persons against whose posi- :
lie candidacy they were leveled as :
heir ultimate exponent. y
But from the candidate let us :,
arm to the platform, or declara- n
on of principles on which he is n y
resented. Will that improve his :, =
ositionl Not at all. The plat 7
,rm, in its reformatory aspects, is ],
ven weaker than his nomination q
me of the journals, the New York a
vening Post, which most strongly n
in the objects of the n
Inference, said of it, on the day q
its publication, that it was "half- =,
earted" and "timid." "The re- !,
mt history of parties contains n,
any pages of feeble resolutions" :.
adds, "but in a competition of cs
eakness the declarations adopted q,
,sterday may confidently chal- el
nge comparison with any others" 81
was a tissue of platitudes and E
'mmonplaces, such as are usually q,
eated to on such occasions, which h,
orally say nothing that ought to n
} said, and say much that it is 4;
different whether it be said or not. h,
e look through it in vain for any
atchword or keynote of reform.
he administration of Grant, which cc
IS been, and to this day is a e.
urce and instigation of many of h,
Q most monstrous abuses that we ,r
plore, is commended to our ap- =,
oval and gratitude. Its recreant e.
of the attempt at II,
vii service reform passes unre- II. IL
Iked. Not word is said in de- nc
notation of the enormous con- -
iraeies and frauds which had con- =,
rted the government from pro- +,
,tor to despoiler. No allusion va
made to the painful perversion y.
high trusts which have brought =,
sgrace upon the nation. No a.
srn, resolute, unsparing deter IN
nation is expressed torectify the 90 90
own wrongs, but only a feeble IA