Mexico weekly ledger., 1880-07-29

There has lately sprung up among
presidential candidates in accepting
nominations the custom OF submitting
to the country and their party state
ments in regard to the policies it will
be their special aim to enforce. Such
an avowal Of sentiment when fully
and honestly made is eminently
proper. As usually constructed par
ty platforms N hastily gotten up by
conventions, whose members accept
no special responsibility for their
contents, and for that reason alone,
If none other, candidates should ex-
press their individual views in their
own way.
No doubt Mr.. Hayes failure TO
redeem the pledges of his letter of
acceptance in regard to civil service
reform diminishes the confidence of
the country in the promises of a pres
idential candidate whose views antag-
onize his party's platform; and yet
it can never be wise wholly to ignore
what il said by q nominee that Is ac-
cepted as = talented and influential
leader. Although Gen. Garfeld's
selection for presidential honor was
at first recognized as q machine de-
feat, he yields gracefully to the
bosses, and accepts the theory that
without congressional aid be will not
be able to make judicious distribu-
ton Of his executive patronage if he
should be fortunate enough to be in
augurated. The public may, there
fore, rest assured that be is in perfect
accord with his party's management,
and receive without hesitation what
he says - its appointed represen-
tative.
To ageneral and unusually indef-
mite acceptance of the principles upon
which the Republican platform is
based, Gen. Garfield adds that bis
opinions OF nesriy all the subjects Of
which it treats can be found in detail
in the published congressional re-
ports, and after denouncing in an
equally indefinite manner what he il
pleased to call estate Supremacy
a doctrine that nobody advocates, be
goes on to speak Of a free ballot and
s~ectarian education in q way that few
wileobject to, but in all that is ad.
vanced concerning the tariff and
finance, Gen. Garfield seems to have
avoided positive mention of his pri.
vate views. His extravagant assump.
tions in regard to resumption and re.
newsl Of prosperity may be also taken
as evidences of unwillingness to un.
bosom himself. For all that is Sc,
forth in his letter he might be an in.
h~ationist or contractionist, . protec.
ZIONIST or freetrader. To those, how.
ever, that will take the trouble of ex.
aiming his record he will soon be
revealed to be neither the one or the
other, but q practical man applying
his knowledge, which is extensive, in
practical way. For . long time
Gen. Garfield hiss represented . dis
trict whose coal and iron interests
have been extensive. The views Of
his constituency differ widely from
his own; bat - representative, he
has upheld their interests and re.
spected their wishes. During the
last session considerable effort wa
made to reduce the duty on rails,
hoop and other irons, lumber, Goa
and salt, and on paper and material
for its manufacture, but Genera
Garfield resisted it, and indeed OPP
posed Ill amendments Of the tariff Law
as special legislation, and becaus'
he favored . comm,ssion to revis'
the whole code. Il is understood
however, that he il not PERSONALLY
averse to rsmodsling the tariff, cor
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