Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-07-30

inc management OF political questions.
SOLDIER NOT THE MAN.
shall certainly not attempt to depreciate
the character Of Gen. Hancock and the preal
services which he has rendered to the coun
try. He is gentleman of irreproachable
private character, which / shall be sorry to
see any effort made to discredit Asa soldier
he has shown signal bravery and skill in the
handling of troops under difficult circum.
stances, and his name is identified with some
OF the most splendid achievements of the
war For all this every good citizen will hon
or him But the question is not whether we
shall honor deserving general The ques-
tion Is whether that deserving general would
De the KIND OF president the country needs
"a president who can be depended upon to
solve the problems of statesmanship which
are now before us; to preserve the good
things already done, and improve upon them.
10 lead battalions of brave men against n for
| tlhed position, or to win n campaign by n
dashlng manuuvre, is one thing TO regulate
the finances of n country in such way TINT
the blessings of a sound currency may be per
manently secured to us to develop our com.
merclal opportunities to organize the civil
service IN such a manner that it may conduct
the public business upon sound business prin.
ciples, is another and in the latter case the
brave spirit and ability which storms hostile
batteries and lays low invading hosts does not
| appear in the first limo of importance When
such dlt1cult civic duties are TO be performed
we shall as reasonable men, inquire whether
the brilliant captain, who appears SO glorious
at the head Of his columns, is also familiar
| win the complex interests which in official
station ne would have to serve; whether his
| knowledge, training, experience and mental
habits fit him clearly to distinguish on the
political field good from evil, not only in the
abstract, but in the confusing multiplicity and
variety OF forms in which things appear in
| reality whether he will be sufficiently eouip-
ped TO penetrate, restrain and battle the wiles
OF political intrigue and the conflicts of fac
ton among the friends, which always sur
round the chief magistrate of n great COM
monwealth; whether he will show himself
htted to move on that field OF civil action and
duty, where forces are handled and directed
not by mere rule of command and obedi-
ence but by finding the Just measure of firm
ness and moderation III the pursuit of great
OBJECTS and resistance to evil inhuences I
cannot impress 1t too strongly on your minds
that there can be no greater difference than
that between the handling of troops in q cam
palgn and the handling of the political forces
OF great people and the handling Of the DO
htical affairs of great government. More
over, 1t must not be forgotten that this gov
ernment is no longer the simple machinery il
was IN the early days Of the republic. The
bucolc age of America is over The inter
ests the government has to deal with are no
longer those of q small number of agricultu-
raj communities, with here and there a com
mercial town. They are the interests of near
~ nity millions Of people spread over an i'm
mense surface with occupations, pursuits and
industries ot endless variety and great magni- |
tude; large cities, with elements of pop1la.
ton scarcely known here in the early days |
and all these producing aspirations and inter |
ests SO pushing, powerful and complicated in |
their nature, and so constantly appealing TO |
the government rightfully or wrongfully, that |
the requirements Of statesmanship demanded |
IN TINS age are far different from those which |
suiiiced century ago.
THE WORK CALLS FOR TRAINED CIVIL ExPERI-
ENCE.
1t Is believed by many that it is an easy task
10 perform the duties of the president of the
Ohited states-that the only thing he has to
40 Is TO form program of policy which he
desires to carry out and to call good and eye
perienced men into his cabinet TO attend to
the detail OF the business without meddlipR
hlmself with Its intricate complications The
experience l have gathered from personal OBJ
serVatlon, not only as a member of the lepis-
latlye body but also of the cabinet, has con
yineed me that this is great mistake. II all
the president had to do were to select seven
men VINO agree with him as to the principal
objects to be accomplished and then consult
and agree with them about the means 10 he
used, undisturbed by the pressure of outside
torces It would indeed, be comparatively
easy and comfortable thing. But the fact
j. that the president Of the United States by
the very nature of his position, is Obliged to
spend far more time in listening to the advice
and the wishes and the urgency of men out
'lue OF MS cabinet than to his consultations
WIN cabinet ministers themselves. The oppo-
'ltlon he may encounter from the opposing
party in Congress and the press. is. In most
cases, the least of the difficulties he has 10
contend with. The greatest puzzles that are
lpt to perplex and sometimes TO oyerwhelm
lls mlhd come from his own party, who have
. claim upon his attention and insist to have
hat claim respected. Not only upon the
'reat measures of his administration, but
lpon every detail, the advice of the members
" his party, especially those in Congress, is
irged upon MN with all imaginable sorts of
rgulheht ana from all imaginable sorts of
nollNe' There Is scarcely an appointment he
las to make, there is certainly not a reform l
le wants to execute, that he will not have to s
AIRY through siege and storm of opposinp
'ishes anu interests. Every object he pur- q
ues VIII run counter TO the wishes not only 6
4 his opponents, but of some of his friends. e
very reform, the execution of which NAV I
ppear 10 him desirable will tread upon the @
pes OF somebody whose interests lie in the v
buse to be reformed or who has a friend TO I
rotect who is connected with il and all v
hese pleas, representations, remonstrances. u
rgencles and pressures go TO the president, P
ot through the members of his cabinet. but o
ehlnd their backs and il is a matter of long q
nd varied experience, that, unless the pres- II
ent himself has a sufficient knowledge of af- Q
'lTs, clear eye to see through arguments a
nd motives, and that temper and skill which u
re necessary to resist without offending, and
concillate without giving up his objects, he a
III inevitably be run over and lamentably G.
nj. No man who has not witnessed il has v
n adequate conception Of the furious pres O.
ire the president is subjected to, especially si
urlng the trst period of his administration s.
ld that hrst period is apt TO determine the d.
laracter of the whole. No cabinet minister p
IN carry out reform in the branch of the ST
nollc service over which he presides, unless CT
Q has the president at his back for if the 81
resident yields to remonstrances and drgen- 81
es brought to bear upon him against such
form, the cabinet minister will find himself til
lihed at every step. 1 speak from expert W
ice when say that most of the good things el
at have been done under this administration b'
hatever merit the respective cabinet minis III
rs may deserve for them, are no less due 10 ty
e clear headed and faithful support, fire. at
lently called the "amiable obstinaoy," with iu
hich President Hayes stood behind them by IN
arding OFF the opposition. 1t is for such tl'
asons of inestimable benefit to an admins te
alton that the president himself should have @
ID the experience of active work in lepisla. te
70 bodies, and especially in the Congress of pr
United States. 1t will require in a presi- III
mt high degree of that intuitiye genius de
tn which very few men in a century are en- IN
wed, to make his administration successful tn
thout that experience. ex
WHAT WOULD THE DEMOCRATS GIVE US? Isl
Let us see now, what we have a right to DO
pect from Democratic victory. Is il the of
lintenance of our public faith? While th,
ere are prominent opponents of reputation be
the Democratic party, it is a notorious fact ha
At all the elements hostile 10 the constitu- alb