The daily gazette., 1876-08-10
What she Next President Can Do.

derive their profits.
What the Next President Can Do.
From the N. Y. Journal Of Commerce.
If the next President of the United
States is thoroughly honest and able |
man, and sincere and ardent friend |
of reform, he can exert tremendous
power for the public good. He can |
The fact that the House is Democratic |
and the Senate Republican. so far
from being great obstacle to his sue.
cessful administration of affairs, may
help him on. If the two branches
were politically agreed and in harmony
with the President, they could apply a
constant pressure to his policy which
he would find 1t very hard to resist. If
they were both politically opposed to
him, they could defeat most OF his
beneficent designs. While the House
and the Senate are at loggerheads poll.
tically, no mere partisan scheme will
be forced on his acceptance. And it is
improbable that the two will agree so
fully in sustaining any disreputable or
extravagant bill, that they can each
muster a two thirds vote to override
the Presidents veto. The position of
the next President being, therefore, so
Independent and strong, if he chooses
to make it so. the greatest interest
attaches to every revelation of the per.
sonal character and public views of the
candidates. For this reason Governor
Tilden's letter has been anxiously wal
ted for and attentively read. His
pledges are before 1.-The country, and
they are all good and satisfactory. Now
let us see to what extent he could full
| fill them in action. s.,
Governor Tilden, if elected Presi.
dent, could not hope by his influence
to control or sensibly shape the course
of Congress in most matters. But he
has exhibited great cleverness at AIS
bany in impressing the necessity of
certain reforms or an adverse majority
| in the State Senate, and might perhaps
do the same at Washington. A Re-
publican Senate voted with Demo-
cratic House in 1875 all the resolutions
and bills for ferreting out and punish
ling the canal thieves. The Governors
Recommendation TO the Legislature
were so wise and good that neither
party dared to refuse them. All of
his reform projects of that year passed
the Legislature, not necessarily be-
cause both parties liked them, but be-
cause they feared to vote them down
and face the public wrath. Mr., Tilden's
tact in this line might be operative on
the larger scale at Washington, and
the two branches be morally compel
led to agree in supporting him In some
reforms. --
! The veto power would almost Ger.
tainly enable him to prevent large
amount of bad legislation. This is a
negative good, but it may become oi
incalculable value. Owing to the po-
litical situation, as we have explained
the veto of bill would be nearly
equivalent to killing it. The Govern
or's letter of acceptance and other pub
: lie utterances stamp him as sound
, hard-moncy man, and the enemy of
} reputation in any form or guise. His
} speeches and public documents show
great practical familiarity with finar
cial subjects. We judge from thest
that he would clearly understand the
real purposes and merits OF financia
{ mesureas that should pass Congress,
, and be prompt to veto anything that
tended to initiation Or to a violation
of the pledged national faith. BY the
, same roeans he could curtail expendi'
lures If they loomed up too largely in
, appropriation bills. On the point oi
, 'sreform in public expense" the letter
of acceptance is admirable. 1t occu'
pies the first place in that production
, as evidently in the writers thoughts
The House has shown strong dispo
, sition to retrench-but we know not
, how much of this is pretense for the
, purpose of making political capital.
q Next year the majority may not be 81
r anxious to save money for the Treasu
!. Try. 1t would be convenient to have
, man in the Executive char who is ,
known friend of economy, and wouiG
|, teach it preceipt and example.
. "Civil service reform" has beel
I tried once, and has deplorably failet
I through the treachcry of its "friends.
. Two or three plans for the same objec
v more or less good, are now befor'
Congress with no hope of passing
/. There is no prospect that the mex
President will have law to help him
4 in reforming the civil service. Fo
f that work we must trust to the Presi
= dent himself. If he has nerve and in
2 dependence, he will be better than an.
!. civil service law. No law can do TO
= tho country more than the Presiden
:, can do by driving out thieves an,
- lidlers from office, and appointing
I originally only honest and competen
', men. If that reform isradically mad,
,; we can comfortably wait a while fo
y the civil service to be systematicall,
u u reconstructed by law, 1t is worth
:. great effort to put man in the Whit
;. House who owes nothing to the pres
q ent vast horde of office-holders. ant
q who will not be afraid to turn out tn
: dishonest ones and the drones, ant
, work up genuine reform from tht
U bottom.
1t is now in the power of the peopl
f by the election of Mr.. Tilden for Pres
4 ident, to realize and enjoy some o
= those reforms for which they so eager
h iy long. Nothing but change of ael
n ministrativn can do the good work.