Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-10-06
THE EFFECT UPON B USINE,SS
INTERESTS.

!
! THE EFFECT UPON B USINE,SSI
INTERESTS.
The iavorite argument against a
change of administration is the injury
that will be done to the business inter.
ests OF the country. To listen TO the
speeches and to read the articles upon
this subject it might be inferred that
the country was really in the keeping
Of the Republican party, and would
60 straightway to ruin il not looked
after by its candidates. Milton de-
scribcd an eclipse rs shedding disas,
trous twilight on half the nations, and
Dith fear Of change perplexing mon
archs;' but an eclipse was never half
such bugaboo as the probable elec.
ton of General Hancock, if we are 10
Judge from what we read in Republi-
can papers. Those who write and tell
such stuff must have very low opin.
ion OF the good sense OF the people of
the United States, for they know very
well that the fact is the country gets
along as well as it docs in spite Of the
politicians, and not because of their
protecting care, Two or three very
plain propositions will dispose of the
pretence that the success Of any party
is essential to our welfare:
First. The men who constitute the
administration today, with one or two
exceptions, never had ability enough
to manange their own business in
suoh way as to greatly distinguish
themselves, and il Mr.. Hayes never
became anything more than a second
or third. rate lawyer in small city
like Cincinnati it is absurd to suppose
that by making him President he
could be forthwith made capable of
controlling the business interests Of the
whole country. Mr.. Evarts was, of
course, of a higher grade; but after
ALL be was pretty accurately described
by the late Judge Grier as 90 mere
sentence monger." Mr.. Sherman has
shown fair business capacity in his
own affairs, but there are fifty men on
Third street and twice fifty on Wall
street who are his superiors, and there
is not one OF the rest of them who
could get half the salary in any pri.
vate corporation he now receives. 1t
is a hackneyed quotation of the saying
of Chancellor Oxenstiern: $50, my
son, and see with what little wisdom
the world is governed" But the
greatest lack of wisdom is on the part
of the governed when they come to
think they owe everything to their
rulers for, certainly, if the men in of.
flee have not succeeded in private life,
it is folly to suppose that they are any
better capable TO manage the affairs
of other people. If the country really
needed to be taken care OF, it would be
in bad way in such hands, But,
luckily, the great American people
have il and themselves in their own
keeping, and if they wish to change
their servants-not their rulers-they |
need not and will not be afraid to do IL
] Second, If all our present prosperi.
ty is due to the Republican party, |
how does it happen that in 1873, when
the panic occurred, and during the
long years of the steady decline in
values thereafter, the Republican par
ty, having full control Of oil depart.
ments of the Government, did not ar.
rest the depreciation and ruin, and re-
store confidence and prosperity And
why was it that 1t was not until the
Democratic party had acquired con.
troll of the House of Representatives
that there was a check to the TALL, and
not until it had secured the Senate the
reaction set in 2 If we were to judge
by the order of events, we might say
the Republican party was responsible
for the breakdown IN 1873, and the
Democrats entitled TO the credit OF the
revival of business which began to
show itself in 1878, and fairly set in
by 1879 but the truth is that this,
too, would be absurd. The advance
in prices, which is sometimes mistaken
for prosperity, won't on all over the
world till 1873, and the decline was
equally universal till 1879, and for
these general movements up and down
neither party Is responsible.
Third. 1t does not follow, however,
that 1t IS matter OF indifference to
business men whether one party or
the other gets IN. The mania Tor rail.
way building, stimulated by improved
land grants, had much to do with the
unnatural high prices OF lsis ana the
completeness oil the collapse that iol
lowed the next year. ana the misgov'
ernment ana plunderlng Oh inc oouth,
ern States from 1860 to 1876 delayed
the restoration OF prosperity in that
section, The Republican policy was
certainly fairly tested down there, and
if we are TO believe the accounts given
by Republicans themselves, II only led
to the robbery and massacre Of the ne
groes. That policy was given up
four years ago, and by common con
sent good order now prevails, the ne.
groes are well paid and well fed, and
while we hear a great deal about the
oi0, sno ",uv ann.i ~ :, vi Ie, ,, "S ho,. -,
a''sUss n ~ q sa,e ~ ooo % aoo a. ias, o,.n -. ""ea
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