Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-10-04
PRESIDENT AKrHUa.


find it perfectly easy to change his whole
theory of statecraft, and that he would
also perceive the wisdom and expediency
of making such change. It remarkable
how small knowledge of human nature
may go to the preparation OF this kind Of
recommendation, and how unreasonable are
the anticipations founded upon such no
tions of what is probable. II the kind Of
advice we have reference to be analysed, it
viii be found to presuppose in the object
of it willful psrversity during the whole
OF his past political career, for nothing less
than this can justify the expectation that
he will now see the error Of his ways and
reform. 1t has not occurred to the Presi-
dents advisers that possibly, and indeed
probably, he may have chosen in the past
that which he believed to be the wisest
and best course, and that consequently he
may not perceive any reason for changing
his policy. Yet there can be no doubt
that this is the actual nature OF the situa-
ton. President Arthur is mature man.
He has been for many years in public life.
| He has chosen his associates, and has
formed all his opinions. Men of fifty do
not find il either easy or natural to aban-
don their favorite ideas and to form
new ones. By that time of life they
think they are capable of forming sound
| judgments about men and things, and these
Judgments are the results of their life ex-
psrience upon their mental organism. To
ask such men to reconstruct their political
creed is practically to ask them to cut loose
from all the teachings of their own expert
ence, and to take on trust the results OF the
experience of other people.
President Arthur belongs to that class of
politicians who put faith In the old-fash-
toned methods. He is what is called a
"stalwart Republican This means a
man who believes in the spoils system of
politics who holds that party organization
can only be kept up by free use of pat
ronage who contends that the offices
should be in the gift of Congressman who
Is opposed to what he regards as the "im-
practical and Theoretical idea of
civil service reform. It is unnecessary to
say that this is very extensive and i'm
portant class of politicians. It embraces
the Torylsm of the country. That is to
say, it includes nearly al who have grown
up under the old methods, and who have
acquired fixed and rooted beliefs. This
kind of conservatism is part and parcel of
all human life. The progressists of to-
day will be the conservatives OF twenty
years hence; not because the ideas OF TO-.
day are better than those which are to
come, but because the human brain, save
in exceptional instances, becomes incapable
of assimilating new thoughts after Ger
tain age. This is why old men are always
conservative, and young men are always
radical and progressive. Now President
Arthur is not young man. He has passed
the age at which the assimilation of new
ideas is natural and easy, and he stands
for very large element which is in the
same mental stage.
The presumption is that he firmly be-
lieves his past career TO have been right,
and that he looks upon the so-called
Halt breeds" az the victims of mischiev-
GUS decisions. Aud if this is the case it is
clear that he cannot be expected to take
kindly to the advice which has been be-
slowed upon him SO freely. To accept
this advice would be to confess that he had
been wrong in the past, and it is not at all
probable that he thinks he has been wrong. It
must also be remembered that he surround S
himself Immediately with those who think
as he does, and that therefore he is the less
likely to perceive the necessity of any
change of policy. What this selection of
friends can do to obscure the situation to a
man in his position was made manifest
during Grants second term, when despite
the almost universal protest and condem-
nation of his own party, it was evidently
impossible to make him aware that he was
doing anything reprehensible. President
Arthur obtains his outside intelligence
from Conkiing, Jones, and men of that
class. They all think as he does, and be-
cause they all think as he does they are
certain rather to encourage him in pursuing
his old ideas than to dissuade him
from such course. We are not now
considering the character of those ideas.
For the purposes of this inquiry it does
not at all matter whether they are whole
some or the reverse. Whatever they are,
we think it evident that there is no good
ground for expectinga remuneration of them
by the President.
The people have been led, by their ad-
miration for General Garfield and their
sorrow over his death, to hope that his
policy would be taken up by his successor,
and carried out. But there is really no
warrant for any such expectation, and
there is very strong warrant for the be-
lief that policy hostile to that of Garfield
will characterize the new Administration
1t will not do at such a time to let our de-
sires confuse US as to the probabilities.
President Arthur may agreeably disappoint
the country, but it has no reason to sup
pose that he viii do so at present. If it
does not wish to be very sharply unde-
ceived it viii do well to refrain from build
ing sanguine expectations upon inadequate
foundations. The thing which is natural
is generally the thing which happens. 1t
is natural for President Arthur to carry
into the Presidential Office the ideas
which he has formed previously. 1t
is natural for him to take advan-
tage of his power to PIT in practice
these ideas. It is natural for him
to go on taking advice from his cid
friends, and to go on turning q
deaf ear to his old opponents. tits natural
for him to cleave to Conkling and Jones
and company, and to hold aloof from the
enemies of his friends. Ii he does all these
things therefore, nobody ought to be sur.
prised. Whereas if he does not do them,