The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-01-04
DISTiNCrIvELY REPUBLICAN

istration of President Arthur APP
pears to be developing a policy for
itself which may be styled distinc-
lively Republican. 1t is always
necessary for any national admins
tration of this government that
would be successful at all to adhere
generally to the measures and poll
cy Of that powerful body of the
people whose votes at the polls cali
ed it into existence. And whenever
President and Cabinet undertake
to run counter to those measures
and that policy the result cannot
fail to be unfortunate for the admin
istration as well as for the country.
If the Republican party had been
so offensive to public sentiment as
some of the pretentious independent
Journals have labored to make their
readers believe, that party could not
possibly have carried the last Presi-
Dental election, and at the same
time overcome the Democratic ma
jority in Congress. And it must be
distinctly understood that the Re
publican party did not ride into
power merely on the personal popu-
larity of the candidates, but by rea-
son Of public confidence in the gen.
eral tendency of the principles,
measures and policy of the Republi-
can organization in preference TO all
others. 1t must be borne in mind
that the resumption of specie pay
ment, which was carried into effect
so brilliantly in 1879 under the
auspices of the Hayes administra-
ton. was provided for by the last
Republican Congress during the
second term of Grants administra-
ton, policy that was then persist
emily urged in Congress by General
Grant, in OPPOSITION to . most for
midable public sentiment in favor
of an irredeemable paper currency.
1t must also be remembered that
the funding system for the reduction
of the public debt in principal and
interest was enacted by the Repub-
lican Congress during the same ad-
ministration.
Thus in point of fact all the bril-
liant financial measures of the Hayes
administration were but the contin-
uation of the established Republican
policy with which Mr.. Sherman had
been identified during his long ca
reer as chairman of the Senate FL
nance Committee. Hence President
Arthur has acted wisely and Judi
ciously in gradually developing q
firm determination to make his
administration distinctively Repub-
lican. In SO doing he has found
himself in full accord with a clear
majority of both houses of Congress;
and if this harmony shall result in
the passage Of measures suggested
and recommended in the Presidents
annual message, the whole country
will have reason to rejoice. The
country has had enough Of factious
struggles between divisions of tie
Republican party, and has grown
very weary Of the warfare kept up
against every Republican leader as
being sort of partisan machine
boss. For the most part those lead
ers are yery well aware that they
are only powerful so long as they
have public sentiment to back them,
and therefore if they manage to rule
by always carefully obeying public
sentiment, it is mere moonshine to
expect a different state of things to
be called into existence merely to
satisfy the ambition Of leading NAL
contents or Independents. Presi-
dent Arthur will be popular and
powerful SO long as he respects pub
lie sentiment and firmly adheres to
the well-established principles and
policy as we'll as the traditions of
the Republican regine.-North Amer
icdu.