The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-12-05
GENERAL PRESS REVIEW.
The New Administrations.
Philadelphia Times.

Philadelphia Times.
General Garfield has visited Washington,
attended to his private business, consulted
with few OF his friends and returned to his
home al Mentor, to await Inaugural ton day.
He demeaned himself with becoming dignity
at the capital, and certainly left it commands
ing very general respect from political
friends and foes, because of his unobtrusive
intercourse with all, and his unconcealed
contempt for tow-psth clubs aud their kin
dred placemen. General Garfield is only a
man, with u reasonable measure of the de-
formites which modern politics inhict upon
our craftsmanship. he is the strongest man,
intellectually, of all the presidents since
Buchanan, but he lacks Lincon's ever saw
ing faith in common sense, Grants unyield-
ing tenacity and Hayes amisble obstinacy.
If he shall make failure Of his administra.
ton it will not be for want of intelligence
or good purpose, but for want of courage to
MAINTAIN his own convictions. He was
great leader in disputation on the floor of the
house, but he was follower rather than
a leader, in shaping party policy. He always
okhLkSA buO pulk1 AlSub, Uub WuCu ~ IGlusGu
to follow he yielded and followed the party.
He has made records on most of the great
questions of the day, which, judged by them
selves alone, would rank him as the foremost
statesman and patriot of congress; but he has
almost uniformly marred them by the surren-
der of his better teachings to the mean neces-
sites of party. He made platform on sec
tional peace that would elevate q national
administration to the highest point of popular
approval, but he deserted it when the party
lash was cracked in his face. He made de-
livera' CO on civil service reform in d leading
magazine that foreshadowed the ideal govern
ment of George William Curtis and Wayne
Mac Neagh, but he tore it to shreds when the
political necessities Of q presidential CAM
paign confronted him. He was among the first
and the bodest of his party to declare against
bayonet elections,i in the south, but he faltered
to the rear when the party bugle sounded in
another line. He famed an eminently Just
law as an amendment to the United States
marshal bill, and deserted his own bill, both
as rider and US Il separate measure, when
the party pressure came.
These disputing records made by General
Garfield exhibit him as great and Just man
in all his convictions and purposes, but lack,
ing the courage to command obedience to
what he could have well sustained with bold
ness equal to his ability and fairness but he
was then only one of many party leaders in
the house; his spurs were contested by Il
dozen tire ess, aggressive demsgogues, and
he feared 30 accept the issue of compelling
the reput jcan party to accept the lesson
that he WHO serves his country best serves
his party most He is now the president.
elect, he has new and exceptional duties i'm
posed upon him; he is presumed to be as
nearly free as is possible from degrading OBJ
legations, and il has been well said of him,
that he is in position to mould his own DIES.
tiny. He has the opportunity to make one
of the most successful administrations the
country has ever witnessed, and if he fail
with such opportunities, his failure will be
faarflllv disestrous