The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-03-30

trOus. The administrator OF aITalTs uuElHg
the past two years has been disgraceful, and
tue present one does not bid falr TO oe
much of an improvement.
--~--a=---.-u..s.-....-@a.as -
THE appointment by President Garfield, OF
Judge Robertson as Collector Of Customs for
the port of New York, and the known hostil-
ity existing between that gentleman and Sen
ator Conkling, is the most significant event
that has thus far marked the course Of the
new administration. Following close upon
the appointment came q resolution from the
Albany Legislature asking that 1t be prompt
" confirmed by the Senate. This crushing
blow at Stalwar tism one that will either des-
troy it altogether, or render war that will
only end in the destruction Of one of the fac
tions, or ruin the entire party organization
inevitable. The course pursued BY the ad-
ministra ton IS worthy Of popular support,
for ii is in the direction Of the popular sym
pathy and tendency, and this action gives
credence to our former expressed belief that
President Garfield will cut loose from the
sectional traditions OF bis party, and concen-
trate his policy upon the new and strongly
vital issues that affect the country to-day.
In fact it has been evident for many months
that this must be done, for the new issues
are assuming such threatening force that they
cannot be ignored without danger to the ex-
listing political organizations. The President,
in thus throwing down the gauntlet OF de.
fance to the Senatorial ring, has placed him.
self upon the people, who, ever since the
campaign Of 1872, have been making vain
attempts to make its wishes known, and to
impress it's necessities upon the government,
and while this expression of discomfort has
taken at times radical or ridiculous phase,
it has not on that account been less worthy
of attention, or ceased to represent, what it
really is and has been, an earnest protest
against the power of oligarchic faction and
cooperative influence on the government.
That the President, while he has assumed
an attitude of concilliation towards the fac
tional and radically subversiye interests in
his party, and, for that matter, Of both par
ties, has not surrendered his independence
nor The pivotal principle of support of the
popular instinct as opposed to cooperative
influence, is evident not only in this rebuke
to the interest represented by Conkling and
his friends, but in the selection of his cabi-
net which has been formed from out Of the
element which has best represented the popu-
lar impulse. The selection Of Blaine for
premier and Window for the Treasury affects
the very points upon which the new public
impulse is founded, and shows that be viii
pursue course which shall be N ore identi-
fed with the people, and opposed, if the ca
bal see fit to obstruct him, to the power
which has governed this cabal in the direc-
ton OF subserViency to the interests Of the
capitalized classes and the rapid growth and
power Of corporations over both government
and people. Blaine and Window have each
been termed charlatans and political mounte-
banks because they have been fearless in
their opposition to the influence of National
banking corporations, railroad corporations,
and the influence Of vested rights on the gov
ernment, as opposed to the interests Of the
people as q whole in q government which is
nominally their own, and founded for their
interests, but which has been under the con-
troll Of cooperative influence to an almost
hopeless degree. That our estimate that the
purport and Importance of those nominations
was with 8 view to invite the support and
opinions Of these gentlemen, and to use them
moi merely IS gilded shield with which to
ward off the popular clamor, and behind
which he could impress policy entirely for
eign to their expressed opinions, is evident
from the decision of Secretary Windom rela-
tive to the withdrawal of the notes retired By
the banks, and which evidenced that the
nomination was made with direct reference
to policy more extended, and which should
make the government stronger than its fac
tons, and not subordinate to them, as has
been SO glaringy palpable that the popular
faith in popular system was fast losing its
cogency and power.
II will be evident to any who will analyze
the interests developed in the past ten years,
that this policy of the President is the only
one consistent with the stability and power
Of the government, which is 80 seriously