Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-09-13
MANTON MARBLES views.

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MANTON MARBLES views.
A PRIVATE LETTER TO A PoUTIN0 LIB
ERAL REPUDLIcAN--C COMPARING THE
TWO PLATFORMS, THE TWO LETTERS,
AND THE TWO CANDIDATEs-G0vER
oRHAyEs' FINANCIAL nEREsIEs-wHY
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CAN BEST EF-
FEcT SUBSTANTIAL REFORM.
NEW YORK, August 10, 1876.
Dear Sr:-Your letter is received.
y As a hard money man, as a
Liberal Republican, your indecision
should be ended by q comparison,
either
|. OF the platforms OF the two par.
ties.
2. OF the letters of acceptance, or,
3. OF the characters and capacities
of the two Presidential candidates.
In the first place, the last three plat
forms of the Republican party show
no progress, but steady falling off Gf
you take into account the financial sit.
uation at each of the three epochs,
1868, 1872, 1876, to say nothing Of
the faitbless violation, in Republican
Congressionalle Legislation, of the pledges
OF Republican National Conventions.
Now, at last, the latest Of those Con-
ventions openly rejects the proposal to
enjoin upon Congress preparations
needful for resumption, and refuses to
inhibit postponemcnt of resumption be-
yond the day named, January /, 1879.
Now, at last, the same Convention re-
fuses even to confirm the hollow prom.
ise of that act of 1876, refuses even to
mention it, but, instead, goes back to
the pledge of the act Of 1869 (of which
the act of 1875 was devised for mere
and specious pretcnse of fulfillment),
and forsooth, at this late day, ode
mands" the fulfllment of that earlier,
uniulfilled, and almost forgotten pledge
"by a continuous and steady progress
TO specie payments" This ii does in
q resolution which ITSELF by implica-
ton, admits the fact that for seven
years neither commercial prosperity,
public morals, nor "the national cred.
It" has sufiiced TO induce the Republi-
can party to take the first step in its
STEADY progrcs to specie payments"
or has sufiiced to prevent q single one
of its annual steps backward. And
that is all. You are merely invited to
lean again upon one of the longest bro
ken of many broken reeds. N
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
On the other hand, the three cor
responding national platforms Of the
Democratic party show u distinct pro.
gress, a successfully higher tone, clear
er perception and purer purpose, cul.
mnating in the last. This demands
reform ITO establish sound currency,
restore the public credit and maintain
the national honor" This denounces
the failure TO make good the promise
of the legal tender notes (the core of
the specie payments problem); de-
nounces the changing standard Of val
ne forced into the hands of the people !;
denounces the non-payment of the 10.
galtenders as disregard Of the plight
cd faith Of the nation denounces the
improvidencc which, out of colossal re-
ceipts and wasted resources, has accu-
mulated no reserve; denounces the
Republican party for having, during
eleven years Of peace, made no I'D.
vance toward resumption, and no pre-.
paratlon for resumption, but instead,
obstructing resumption by wasting 70.
sources and cxhausting oil our surplus
income, and for having, while annual.
ly protesting to attend speedy return
to specie payments, annually enacted
fresh hindrances thereto among
which hindrances it wisely or unwise.
ly reckons the resumption date OF the
act of 1876, fortified in this at least by
the fact that never has such a date
been anywhere an efficient means Of
resumption. And, finally, after giving
the best of all possible guarantees OF
its spirit and purpose in these precise
and several dcnunciations, theSt. Louis
Convention completed its demand for
resumption by prescribing the three
essential conditions of preparation
therefor, to wit: "public economies,
official retrenchmcnts, and wise finance"
which "shall enable the nation soon to
assure the world Of its perfect ability
and its perfect readiness to meet any
of its promises at the call of the crcdi-
Tor entitled to payment"
II is no descent from the highest
plane of economic craftsmanship for
tho platform then to have affirmed, as
il does affirm, that such system, well
devised and in competent hands for cx-
ecution, "would bring healing on its
wings to all our barasscd industries. "
They are neither economists nor states.
men who have inspired the people
with dread of some apocalypse Of ruin
to follow 'crcmation" or''contraction.
THE TWO LETTERS OF ACCEPTANCE.
Gov. Tilden's letter accepting the
nomination, and Gov. Hayes letter, in.
crease the divergence of the two par
ties at the very point where you place
your chief solicitudc. Compare the
two
Gov. Hayes iumbles the great prob
lem, molls through common places and
politicians phrasc-making, and ar
rives at the conclusion that "thc feel
ing of uncertainty inseperablc from ar
irredeemal,le paper currency is greal
obstacle to the revival Of business anC
the return of prosperity"
"A Daniel come TO Judgment u
SO far reaches his perspicacity sucf
is the last word Of his statesman
sbip-exccpt the promise to approve,
mot TO devise but to approve cvery
appropriate step TO accomplish the de
sired end" We shall presently se'
what the degree Of his competency I
likely to BE-, even for the task Of judg
ing what TO approve.
Look ut that picture and then OF
this-the letter Of Gov. Tilden--ex
haustive, statosmanlikc, grasping every
detail and the whole problem will
easy, unaffected power, and loosinI
tho (,erdian kpot of publjc pOlicy ufn