Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-06-24
GARFlELD'S RECORD.
His Financial Doctrines are shown Ia
be- Very Clear and sound.
From the Boston Advertiser

certain that he could not go far wrong
ON any of the great questions before the
country since he has been in public life.
But few persons, we fancy, are aware
how strait and clean and consistent his
record Is ON one of the gravest and most
difficult questions pending since the war.
Indeed, we doubt if n representative in
congress, or senator, east or west, of
anything like equal prominence, can be
named whose record in all the branches
of currency Legislation is better.
When the original legal-tender act was
passed he had not entered congress, but
was leading his soldiers to battle. As
long as the war lasted 1t was useless to
attempt reform of the currency: but
when it had ended congress undertook to
restore the value to the legal-tonder
notes by the proper and reasonable
method of contraction. 1t was not long,
however, before the alarmists raised an
cutlery at the consequences of
this contraction, and congress was
flood with resolutions ordering the in
slant cessationof theprocess A hill so or
dering was reported by Mr.. Schenck
from the ways and means committee on
the Eth of December, 1867, the first week
OF the session. 1t was passed by vote
of III to b. Fifteen of the minority
were Democrats. Among the seventeen
Republicans we're General Garfield, Mr..
Blaine and v ashburne~-th of the can
didatcs mt Chicago Mr.. Garfield was
the only Republican who attempted TO
oppose the bill III debate; and vainly, for
the previous question had been
called, endeayored to procure
vote on n substitute for the BILL
resolution referring the subject back to
the committee with instructions "to re-
port to this house such Legislative meas
ures as shall most speedily and safely
lead to resumption OF specie payment"
His stand was taken then, when contrac-
ton was most unpopular, aud from it he
has never wavered. On the 10Th OF May
| following, in 1868. -hc made per-
haps the most important financial
1 speech he has ever delivered, covering
more than seven pages of the Congress
| Sionai Gtobe. III which he combatted
every form of currency deluson, and in
conclusion, declared his belief that "the
/ gradual restoration Of our ancient stan
dard of value will lead us by the safest
and surest path to national prosperity
and the steady pursuits of pence.
Weprinted yesterday in the biograph-
/ zeal notice of General Garfield partial
! list of his speeches on this rs well M on
other questions Until quite recently
the mantle of leadership Of the opposi-
| ton in the house fell ON his shouldershe
has usually been content simply to give
his vote on the propositions relating to
the currency brought before the house.
But these votes were MI true and right
He was supporter of the public credit
net of 1869; he voted against the initiation
/ bill in 1874, having vainIy tired,
seconding the efforts of Mr. q.
! +. Hoar, to get the bill referred
to n committee of the whole. Tho whole
state of Ohio mustered but five votes
in the house of representatives in oppo-
sition to the bull, and Gen. Garfield was
one of them. At the next session the
resumption act was passed. Gen. Gar
/ field voted for it, At the time the meas
ure seemed to be no more than an empty
/ declaration, and even hard-money men
were divided upon it. So strong an nd
vocate of honest money as Senator
! Schurz favored it, but some--i few only
/ OF the radical hard-money men in the
1 house voted with the inilationists in n
1 body against it, Time has indicated the
wisdom of those who favored the meas
ure.
The course of Gen. Garfield on the
silver issue has already been referred to,
He opposed it both by his voice and his
vote. When the measure was first passed
by the house, Gen. Garfield was absent
on leave and had no opportunity to vote
upon it. But when it came back from
the senate amended he was one of the II
members who voted III favor of Mr..
Hewitt's motion to lay it on the table,
and so kill it. In the course OF brief
debate he explained his position, and
ended Wy saying
believing, At do-and shall rejoice If the
future proves me mistaken--belieying, as do,
that this bill viii not bring the two metals 10
equality or keep them there; that II will bring
no relief TO the suffering and distress that now
ailIict the country; that It will seriously injurc
the public credit, ard thereby injure every citi-
zen. shall vote to lay the bill on the table"
The delegation from Ohio contained
twelve Republicans, and General Gar
Geld was the only one of them who voted
against the bill. Ten Of the other
eleven were present, and all voted for it.
The bill was vetoed by the president,
and on its passage over the president re-
ceiyed the solid vote of Ohio, Mr.. Gar
field alone excepting The currency
record of our candidate is like light
shining out of dark place. No otheroi
the distinguished men who live in the
midst OF "the Ohio idea can
show record without blot.