Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-03-24
1Anraster futellige1lrer.
THURSDAY EvEN'a. MARCH "A, 1881.
NeryOus Leaders.

THURSDAY EvEN'o. MARCH "A. 1881.
Nervous Leaders.
The Republican leaders are in a very
nervous state. There is trouble for them
all around. The discordant elements of
the party are in accord for the present
under the cohesive power of the public
plunder, but ,as it is distributed, the noble
army of soreheads will be sure to wall
and swear like that in Flanders. And
the party is not in a position to stand
much of a racket within its lines. It
needs all the strength Of its united
forces to withstand the aggressive enemy
outside, who has it now very much at
disadvantage. An administration
which starts out fearing to call Congress
together for the very necessary purpose
of substituting three per cent bonds for
the five and six per cents that are pay
able, is evidently not in very strong fight
ing trim. It is confession of fear and
necessarily therefore of weakness. Mr..
Blaine believes in boldly meeting the
issue and forcing the fighting. His less
sagacious colleagues would postpone the
day of peril, as weak men always incline
to do.
In the Senate, Senator Voorhees, has
made a motion to smoke out the reluct-
ant patriots who want to distribute the
Offices, as of the party holding power,
but who do not want to declare their
policy, which it is equally the duty of
the party in power to communicate to
the country. Mr.. VOORHEES, offered a
resolution declaring that the hostile at
titude assumed by the national banks to
the refunding of the national debt at a
lower rate of interest, and their recent
attempt to dictate the legislation Of
Congress, are contrary to the best inter-
ests of the people and calculated to ex-
cite their alarm for the future. That
resolution should have been acceptable
to the Republican senators as giving
them an opportunity to express their dis
appreciation of the conduct Of the nation
al banks in the refunding matter. That
conduct has been SO generally rcprehend-
ed that it seems very unwise in Republi-
can senators to hesitate to express their
condemnation Of it i; especially as the
Republican party has been charged with
being the thick and thin advocate of
the national banks, to whose material
aid in the election 1t was indebted for
success. But Mr.. Voorhees, resolution
was not welcome to the Republican
side, which sought to drive it off by
raising the point of order that nothing
was in order at an executive session but
the distribution of the offices. Senator
Sherman was too wise to take such un-
tenable ground, but he trusted that s'the
good judgment of the senator from In
diana would conclude that it was not
advisable to open a discussion SO broad
as this resolution would give rise to. If
SO good-by to any shortening of the
session."
The "good judgment "of the senator
from Indiana has put the Republican
senators in a difficulty from which their
good judgment did not suffice to relieve
them. The opposition which they have
shown to the resolution is pregnant of
meaning. The declaration that it would
give rise to Il long discussion and a long
a.. ZION shows that they do not agree to
I,o en-, t!ment Of the resolution and pro-
'oso 70 a, nose it with all their might.
rbev have din" closed Just what we want
@ know and ha,'e placed their party in
position, not only a. defenders of the
national banks, but ere,. aS deiehders
of their "hostile attitude t, the re-
funding Of the national deb. al
4 lower rate OF interest,"" which
is all that Senator Voorhees, resolution
except their recent at
tempt to dictate the legislation OF Con-
yress.'' AS there is no question that
hey did attempt such dictation to defeat
he refunding scheme, it is clear that /
;he Republican senators in resisting the
of resolution declaring such
conduct to be g contrary to the best in
.erests of the people and calculated to
excite their alarm for the FUTURE" have
assumed the responsibility of defending
,he action of the national banks which
has been so generally condemned by the
people.
We wish them a safe deliverance in
heir undertaking. 1t seems suicidal
,ne, but it is their affair. They would
have been wiser to let the resolution
pass, acknowledging the error of their /
pet banks, admitting the necessity of
against its future occurrence,
while protesting that the national bank
'ystem properly guarded was valuable to
he country. 1t may he that it is. We
confess that after the recent experience
we cannot see that it is. It seems to
have failed Just in the point where its
value to the country was believed to ex-
st. The Philadelphia Telegraph, while
the wrong done the country
~ the banks in their recent action, and
,he necessity for legislation to correct it,
till protests its belief in the value of
;he system. We should be glad to hear
rom it upon what its faith rests. Such
legislation as is needful to deprive the
banks of the power to do the evil they
lave done can hardly be had but by
cutting off their heads.
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