The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-11

many honest millions who give much trust
to platforms, the candidate is unquestlon-
ably wise in placating those credulous con-
ditions of political servitude by adhesion
to the visible creed of rapidly vanishing
faith. The st. Louis platform was docu-
ment of such unstinted profusion of promise
and suggestion that candidate fixed upon
its wide-spreading planks might be par
doned if he went no farther than their
adoption; but Governor Hendricks has
views of his own, and proceeds to give them
expression, with cogency, compactness,
and force which gain the writer a higher
place as man of affairs than he has been
credited with the capacity of holding.
The point in the letter which will excite
the most curious interest is naturally the
paragraph treating of the currency cues
ton. 1t will be seen that his position on
this has been very accurately forshadowed
in these columns for week or more. He
holds that gold and silver are our real
standard of value, and our national cur
'rency will not be perfect medium of ex-
change until it shall be convertible at the
pleasure of the holder" This is not the
doctrine OF an infiationist nor an ignoramus.
1t is reflection of the matured judgment
aud experience of mankind. He dis
cusses with some warmth the Sherman
resumption SHAM" and agrees with
the st. Louis platform that the date
clause Of that imperative act is an i'm
pediment instead of measure calculated
to bring about an early resumption. Its
repeal, in consistency with this view, he
holds to be an essential antecedent to any
practicable step towards real resumption
a position which must surprise the advo-
Gates of repeal, who regard it as step
toward expansion. The position of Hen
bricks may be accepted as a sign of i'm
provement in the political condition, since
! it virtually removes the head and front
and disrupts the whole regiment of infa-
tionism AS contrasted with the common
doctrine of unlimited rags, held by Ferry,
the present Republican vice president,it is
the very gospel and covenant of honest
money and sane politics.
Of the general functions of government
and Office, Hendricks very naturally be
lieves with the Jeffersonian school, He
is so little of centralst that he holds
. that the prodigious political evils of the
times are to be attributed to the baleful
compulsory influences of party leaders,
rather than the corrupt instincts of the
: president Nor does he give this as his
conviction without an evidence of a
thorough knowledge of the conditions and
limitations of both. He draws from his
: six years as senator an experience which
iustifes the expression of faith. Other
+ wise he holds, and with force, the change
in the head of the administration might
inaugurate reform, since the executive
alone and not his advisers would be guilty
of the decentralization. The substitution
of pure for an impure man would reform
} the government. AS it is, the election Of
any one man will make no essentia
) difference-the whole system must bt
t revolutionized.
{ Nor is he iuexplicit or vague or half
1 hearted in the reform necessary to raise
e the standard of public morals. He woulG
{ have general reform in the civil service
z He would retain in Office, irrespective O
e party. all who by capacity, integrity, ana
e fitness approved themselves worthy of re
= tention. That is long way in advance Of
/ the most liberal reform thus far declared
: Nor is the governor without practica
+ record in this preaching. 1t must b(
said to his credit that party lines have no
S withheld fit men from judicial and othe1
t positions in Indiana since he has beer
: governor. On the whole, Hendricks doe
IS no discredit 10 this utterance tn the com
n pany he is in. Substantially in accort
e with the hard money men and greatly i
J. advance Of Hayes on ciyil-service reform
e he should no longer be an impediment t
% the overpowering personality of our incl
h Samuel