New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-06-07
DANGERs TO THE ADMINISTRATION

4 LULL r. THE POPULAR ArpHoNAL-oNLf "NH
WAY To- FOLLOW, AND THAT STRAIGHT AHEAD
so COMPROMISES WITH POLITICIANS.
To the razor Of Tbe TrtbVRc.
SIR: The Administration is in a rather critical
position. II 4, in danger Of losing some OF the
large measure Of public confidence "hch 10 MS
crioved thus far, aud I.any of lis best trends
fear that It does not realize the peril. IAe
wave Of oop5l'ar enthusiasm that ran So high few
weeks ago is fast rccojlne. soon 1t VIII BE- al eoo
tide. That was 10 BE- expected. however. Ii T. the
history Of al new administrations and new move
ments that there should be % reaction from the ae-
claim of approval that greet, them at the start.
The natural rrtlux Of feeling and the accumulated
Observation-Disclosures If men who tail to get the rewards
tbay boped fox Influence the public mind
and incline IT, If not 10 positive dis3ardg neni' 40
least to relentless criticism. Il Is IN onr sense me
misfortune ofthe present Administration thAt the
people expect great deal 80 L. hands IL per-
e,r,o,ces arc scrltipized more carefully th.E those
of its predecessor were, and compared ugldiy Win
its promises because people put faith m Those prom
i.es Pra.iden. Hayc, set h.s standards 4 oA 'lal
action So high thai a iliiure to attain Them h only
happening now and then. creates profound d3''ti'-
f,ction. Whom President Grant made bad APP
poir-,nent nobody was shocked, because nobody
.xnocted anything better when he made a good
and gave him urstiuted praise The country ex-
pccts that all President Hayes appointments shall
b. GOOD. and in such a temper rs disappointment
over q bed one will amount To a sense OF injury
The danger Is that the President aad lis Cabinet
do not fully appreciate how sensitive people are
MOON tits point. They appear TO many friendly
rr+ic, f. have climbed up the h.rhts Of self-cou-
deuc. so lar that they d0 not sec what D goh. on
around them. and % be GROWING q hI'e eu'i'I
q. r...frf or .I4f
doesn't seem eli ar that this ADMINISTRATOR IS
csrapu- from the usual Tate, ~ the matter OF Hch-
niteiN knowing what Is gong on. Ieople III power
are alW vs surrounded by hatterefs, VINO Ten thfh
only pleasant thin-s-thcv learn the real Opinions
of real friends only when they seek 4ihgeAtiA IoT
them. the cTlIc- complain lhdt the ] tol'irlt anu
ms advisers. satisfied with success already won,
make very litue search OF jhaJ s'rt. IL Is
tlou4ht that u ths way the Administration hal.y
knows bow Trar has been tac dissatisfaction OF Us
best friends with somc OF ITS recent ''cpS' me
worst part of il j., p, tc critics ae5e tlat jhe men
WHO make the most fuari-aie pr" -7ir7 IN laFor on
civil service reform, are the men VINO ht silN getls
tLc less crcdlta1lr appointments. vicious people
want to know, for instance, why secretary HrIaiz
should preach civil service reform az the Chant ~
Of Commerce dinner IN AeV-York, and then ash the
10 h r. Io s5Iacior "5 wiz Tent o Sm the
money t0 start his -. Louis neTspapr
by oiirriug him the Swiss mission. They wonder
too, Why ihe cFl, service reiorhirr kept ap-ouiey
qu,ct when the lostma.ter-iercral announced III
cine Cabinet meeting That n intended 90 appoint
George H. Bu.ior. They ale bothered q littlc ABOUT
the oE.rs 30 Logan. and profoundly habbcr-
TASTED 80 the threaicacd offer of the Bel
Qi8u mission once more 10 sanford. such
agDointmruts would have scarcely provoked con-
uent il they proceeded from Gtu. Grant, but IIesl-
dent Hayes cannot make them without exciting
grave di.trist u the minds of ,he class of ncn on
whom alone Be can rely for efficient support. lie
general exec Hence OF bis administration and It's Sic
crsstui treatment Of the southern question wa not
be "a. lowed ~ cloak over even MINOR defects. Ten
| cousiicuDUsy GOOD appointments VIII not cOndohc
one moderately bad one. Tins condition Of pun
lic feeling EBAY be- condemned as Eyle.cri,ical and
unjust. but 10 exists. and must be taken into ac-
cOun. ii T j ol failure is 20 be- avoiled.
The oEll safe rule Of conduct Tor the President
and his Minister, b. t0 keep 10 the straight and mar
row path of civil service reform. They VIII be
tempted uut of n 40 every step bY appeals to reward
CHS politician or placate that one. or leave tine
other uudlstuT bed boz place uc Is unWOTthily hlilng
Motives of cXp.dieney Will be- urged upon them.
They will bee told that they must bc,tow foreign
missions and coi-ecfor-ilpa upon incompetent men
in order o. gain support and that they must not
break up corrupt -hoilln- rings lest they raise
autapouisus that would weaken the party. ihey
ought uOl % allow themselves 10 be Influenced by
such considerations. Nothing Dut disaster can re-
suit from trades aud compromises. There - no
support that VIII make the Administration success
fu except that o. the reform sentiment OF the
country and that viii De gwen spontaneously u a
straight forward cours. Zee pursued. The hearty
approval of the people VIII insure I'D the help from
the politicians the President needs. for they were
never known 10 tTy long 10 stem the popular cur
rent. l. >.
Washington, D. O.. jane ., 1877.
|