The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1880-12-30
THE TREATY OF MENTOR AND ITS RE-
SUITS.

THE TREATY OF MENTOR AND ITS RE
SUITS.
There are strong symptoms that tht
relations between Gen. Garfield ant
Senator Conkling will not lie SO friend
ly as they promised to be- The "treaty
of Mentor" has been written about SC
much that it has become almost as cele'
DRAFTED in our times as the famous
treaties of Tilset, Client and other
small towns which have given their
names TO peaceful arbitrament Of
European complications. While no
settlement of some great international
quarrel was made at the little village
of Mentor, there was a meeting of four
distinguished sons of our Nation who
were supposed TO have come together
as representatives of strong factions in
our great party for the amicable adjust
ment of all differences, and a union of
the elements on a policy for the next
administration. 1t was a popular sup
position that these men were united
on the most friendly footing, and that
Gen. Garfield would have the cordial
support and sympathy of his three Wis
itOrs during his coming administra-
ton lin fact there were those who
went so far as to say that these men
would be the power behind the
throne" for the next four years. But
rumors have recently arisen that the
"Treaty of Mentor" was not a settle
meRt of differences. but simply call
of three distinguished citizens upon
the first gentleman of the republic-a
call of courtesy, as it were. A cores
pofident of one of our Metropolitan pa
pers, who was at Mentor during the
distinguished visit" and who was
recently I'm Salina, affirms that there
was no particular cordiality exhibited
OH the part of the Senator from New
York, that was visible to outsiders"
during any part of the conference.
In fact, the courtly Conkling exhibit
ed to the President-elect the hduteur
for which he is so noted, and hisevery
act in the lattcr's presence showed
that he was not inclined to slower his
plumes" in any respect. To be sure
he made most profound bow in hon.
oring the petite and wrinkled faced
mother Of the President-elect-but that
was fhe only time when his naughty
face relaxed into genial smile. Thus
were affairs at the recent conference at |
Mentor.
More recently it has been published
to-the- world that the relations between
COnkling and Garfield have grown so
cool as to he the foundation for a pre-
diction of war between them. And
another prediction is the alienation of
the entire .'stalwart wing" of the Re
publican party from the incoming adj
ministration. Perhaps the latter pre-
diction is the progeny of the thought
that the alienation of Conkling is but
the alienation of Grant, Logan and
Others. We have hoped from the COM
meIicement that the ''stalwarts" of
our party should have large power in
shaping the policy of the incoming
administration. We believe that it is
for the interest of the party that it
should he so, and we further believe
that Gen. Garfield is inclined to take
q large measure of counsel from such
q source. However, Gen. Garfield is
himself a man of genius and a states
man of the first rank. In statecraft,
and i'm sound and discriminating judy
ment he is fully the equal of a number
who demand his attentive ear and who
may be inclined to force him into a
position where he may be only presi- I
dent in name. A man with his genius |
and self-reliance cannot be expected to
act as nonentity in any administra-
ton, or obey the naughty behests of
those who would make mankind gen.
orally subservient TO their own per-
sonal prejudices, spites, ambitions and
inOrdinate qualification of their love of
power. He may be led by wise coun-
sci, but not driven by those who sulk
when their own sweet will does not
command a premium. We hope and
pray that there may be no quarrels or
among our great chiefs
over matters which will tend to de-
stroy the Republican party or weaken
its benificent power in the land. We
honor the stalwarts of our party, hop
ing that they shall he a strong support
in Gen. Gariield's administration.
We honor Senator Conkiing for his
services for his party
and the nation, and for that command
ing genius which has made him one of
the first men of our Republic Let
him rs well as his associates content
themselves with ranking one degree
below the Presidency, instead of above
it, and then their counsel and advice
and friendliness will have proper rec
ignition from the President to be.