The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-05-25
a PERTINENT COMPARISON
The Differences Between the Politician
Conkiang and tiae Statesman Gam.
beGsa

The differences Between the Politician
| Conkliaag and the Statesman GAM.
beta.
[Ameriean[
Each OF the two greatest republics is bur
dened with Bolingbroke. NJ. GreYy and
Mr. Garfield have each friend whose atten-
tons are worse than enmity. Neither of the
two Presidents can carry out policy in
peace, because each has rival who, though
notinVested with the responsibilities of ex-
eeusiYe office, is disposed to dictate the ex-
ecutve policy. And widely as these would
| De dictators differ in point Of personal ca
pacity, they are alike IN the possession of
u -iil tosg cues ant. Ii their readiness 10 use
| them on either friends or enemies
The differences between NJ Gambetta and
| Mr. Conkling are still more suggestive than
| the resemblances Their past will hardly
| bear comparison. M. Gambetta became
national figure in the hour Of frances sorest
need He inspired heroism OF resistance
which saved his country from shame, lfnot
from plunder. He organized the Army of
| the Loire, the only part of the military SER
vice Of that ill-fated war of which France
has no need to blush. When he saw the war at
an end, he entered upon a political career of
observation and WHITING. He saved the Re-
publican party by his policy Of Opportunis1n
by his refusal TO allow himself to be led by
| wild theories into wilder actions He taught
the French peasantsto regard the republic as
the best pledge OF public order; and If he
| blundered in giving his sanction to wild
onslaught upon the Roman Catholic orders,
he has atleast, the excuse of his early eduCa-
/ ton and of the fierce antagonsm Oi the
| Catholic party TO the Republic. The man
holds his high place in France because he has
/ served France with his whole soul and with
no selfish reserve.
Mr.. Conkling 8 services to his country
have been chiefly political management Of q
party for the promotion Of his own fortunes.
/ There is no chapter in our history in which
| he is dominant figure. There is no great
movement in the direction of the consolida-
tion and the reform of our Government with
which hisaname has been identified. He has
been d partisan manager, but even on great
lques,lons Of party management he has blum
ldered pers;stently. His stalWart policy dur
ing Mr.. Grants administration brought the
Republican party to the verge Of destruction,
From that fate it was saved only by the ef-
forts of an Administration whose head and
members Mr.. Conkling honored with an i'm
passioned hatred The man has not been
great, even as partisan. He has been great
in ate-making, great in Wire-pulling, great
in caucus management, great in taking care
of his many friends, and hating his enemies
with q hatred. to which he would sacrifice
even his party. We do not ignore his talents.
He can make AN effective speech on any
U t1cssss:.s57s E ,e-ty pshcy And he has been
t squaEely on the side Of human liberty and of
honest finance. But he shares these merits
: with thousands who make no such preten-
sions as he. These are not the basis of his
/ | especial claim 70 greatness.
M Gambetta has the advantage OF playing
| Bolingbroke under a Constitution which
seems especially constructed for the pur
! | pose. Il the French Republicans had set
!, | themselves to make their Presi sent nouantl-
!. tV, they could not have better achieved 1t
r III. Grevy has neither the perogatlves of
king nor those Of a Republican President.
His Cabinet is responsible, not to himself,
but TO the Legislature. A word from NJ.
Gambetta has toppled over one after another
: Only 8 man of special popularity and capci.
+ ty could make the Presidency Of France
! anything more than the chief representative
of national and International etiquette But
! the American Presidency is BY Constitutional
: : provision one of the most powerful OF execu-
i've CtIlces Within certain recognized linn
its, the Presidents power Is far greater than
that of most European kings-greater even
8 than Joint authority Of Queen Victoria and
y Mr. Gladstone And the people, so far from
e being Jealous of this power, desire its Wig
: orous exercise within legal limits. They
: feel honored By having the man OF their
i j choice SHOW himself President ID tact as Well
! ! as ia name. They have never shown much
:, impotence with President who has acted
4 / vigorously in doubtful cases for which the
: Constitution did not provide They have
resented nothing so much as the appearance
i Of an undue Difference on his part to any die
g tation from any quarter. Nothing has tend
: : ed 80 much to lower President in their eyes,
= as the suspicion that he lacked vertebral
'eI steadiness. Mr. Grant fell from their graces,
# not because of his own blunders, but because
le thew. discovered that be could be managed by
II MIR. Conkling and such as ne.
Il Such is the difference between the 1saits eI
at action il which two Bolingbrokes are essay
ing their career Il is almost needless TO say
! thatth Frenchman has the better prospect
. Of success. And yet even ne cannot pursue
lo his present course much longer. lnsIe a. 9 !,
/: 1nnd and growing demands that the real
i, ruler of France shall assume the responslo slolll-
% ty Of rule and stall undertake the once ~
I: has done so much to belittle Not OIL MS
ISL brilliant powers, his great services ana hls
i vast popularity, can save him from criticism 20
Is Of this kind. And when next the PRESIDENCY
: is vacant Mr.. Gambetta will perforce be
obliged TO acceptit.
Z AS regards our Would-be bollngoroke,,
Ut there are no such demands. Inc nnfnpet VI
i. persons who would like to see Mr: GonKliDE
:. :. p plauafad 70 the Presidency is neither great
= nor increasing. The gentlemen himself
e knows m this; he derives his Importance IN
O that that reaDect from his championship OF an
ks other candidate. The nations demand to'
,ee dav ia not that he should prepare Tor the ac-
ne eeDtance m of the highest executive authorl,y'
d. hit that he should recognize bis own Fela.
ton 10 that authority, and abandon his claims
8 to control an office to which the people
) never have elected him and never Will. we
y ali remember Dir. Eyarts's humorous sngges-
se. lion. that If we had elected Mr. Iilfen !, g
,ut the Presidency, We might have found ut the n
Id last minute thai we had gotten Mr. Pelson n
i Stead. Those Who voted for Mr. Garnsla Ssaa .
. President, do not mean to accept Mf. gonk &c!
], Iinr as . substitute Their notion Of polltlca
n perspective Is not Mr.. Conkling's. They ae