Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-04
THE INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT
GARFIELD.

The Inauguration OF treSldenb Oarhelu
will take place to. day at Washington with
unusual pomp and display. The country
has yet to discover upon what plane the new
Administration will be established, and
owing to the firmness with which General
Garfield has abstained from any declara-
ton of his intentions, the most persistent
efforts of the press have failed to uncover
his purposes. The greatest curiosity and
anxiety has been felt as to his inten-
lions. and especially as to the character OF
his political affiliations. Upon the solution
of this problem the>tone and tendencies OF
the new Administration are supposed to
depend largely. Naturally the main desire
has been to ascertain whether the new
President would cast his lot with that wing
of the Republican party which colds to the
doctrine that the maintenance of machine
organization is the first requirement of sue
cessful government, or whether he would
take his stand with the less thoroughly
disciplined but constantly increasing body
which believes that sweeping reform in
governmental methods is necessary to the
we'll being of the commonwealth.
Up to the present moment General Gar
field has given no indication of his predi-
lections, however, nor is it possible to
gather from an observation of his past
career what his future course will be. As
a member of Congress he has been a
stanch party man on general issues, but
occasionally he has separated himself from
the more unreasoning herd of politicians,
and has taken independent positions upon
important questions. 1t is known that
he has been in the habit of examining all
measures for himself, and that he has sell
dom been content to accept propositions
on the strength of their party aspects
alone. 1t is also known that he has been
| warm friend of President Hayes, and
there appears some ground for believing
that the latter, in his recent efforts to
break down machine arrangements, in New
York and elsewhere, has been encouraged
if not solicited by his successor.
On the other hand there have. not been
wanting plain symptoms of disposition
on General Garfeld's part to stand well
with the " stalwarts." It is possible that
the lively imagination of correspondents
may have created some of these indica-
tions, but regarding what is known of his
conduct since the election we think the
| legitimate inference is that he has no de-
sire to begin his administration with an
internecine quarrel. The probabilities
rather favor the conclusion that he is en-
deavoring to bring about SO much of a
reconciliation between the contending fac.
tions as will secure peace during his term,
or at least until he has seated himself
firmly. 1t is, however, to be noted that
while there have been plenty of evidences
of wish to secure harmony between the
Blaine and Conkling cliques, so far nothing
has been done to justify the idea that he
has extended any overtures to the anti
machine element. -
An administration which opens under
such peculiar conditions will inevitably
be subject to sharp observation until its
real purposes are fully defined. The main
question to be determined is whether
General Garfield approves the kind of
politics which obtained during the Sec
ond administration of General Grant, or
the kind which Mr.. Hayes has made
fitful and constantly interrupted efforts
to introduce. There can be no doubt that
if the new President listens to the veto
ran politicians by whom he is surrounded
he will be told that the "stalwart" pro-
gramme is the only one which he is justi-
fed in adopting. 1t is equally certain that
if he analyses the result of that policy as
tested by actual and prolonged expert
ment, he will reach the conclusion that it
is not in accord with the interests either of
the country or OF the Republican party.
No doubt the position in which he stands
is an exceedingly difficult one, and the
temptations to follow the advice of the
" stalwarts" are many and powerful.
An ambitious man, man who loves
the exercise of power, man who desires
to be recognized as the undisputed head Of
his party, has much to gain by adopting
this course. The fate of President Hayes
has shown that whoever undertakes to re-
sist the great power of Congress, no mat
ter with what patriotic justification, must
make his account with being ostracized and
threatened and snubbed and insulted and
condemned, with persistent acrimony.
The position of a martyr is one which few
aspiring politicians covet, and there is
nothing in General Garield's past career to
warrant the belief that he is emulous of
treading in the steps of his predecessor.
But if he looks beyond the little circle of
political contention, and examines the
effects of the two policies which are open
to him, upon the minds of the American
people, we do not think he can fail to re-
cognize the fact that the one is demoralizing
and deadening, while the other is invigor-
ating and elevating. What he will do,
however, the future must reveal. Thus
far he has kept his own counsel, and we
trust that his final decision will be such as
to justify the high opinion of his sagacity
and patriotism entertained by those who
have watched his public course up to the
present moment. His opportunities are
great. Let us hope that he will make
great use of them.
THE EVIL OF MAC aINE" POLITICS.
The present eonfu sed state Of city poll: