Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-09

When on whoe has achieved eminence in
any separate field OF thought or activity, en-
tiers another, attention is naturally directed
to the mental endoyments and intellectual
attributes upon which an opinion as to sue
cess or failure may be based. 1t is rarely
| that distinction is achieved on more than
one of the great theaters of action. Wei
| lington, wearing the laurels of many
memorable campaigns ending with the
| never-iading wreath Of Weterloo, entered
upon a civil career in which his great mil
| itary renown served only to emphasize
| huiniliating failure. Genius, however
marked or nights not always capable of
sustaining its well-earned reputation upon
| transposed fields. Governor Stanford has
achieved the highest distinction in a field
| wherein success demands the possession
of the b.oadest capabilities, the largest
| administrative force of character. and the
| constant exercise of long sustained
mental energy. His transportation from
this field to the highest legislative body
| in the world, the place of prominence occu-
| pied by himsin the estimation of his friends,
| will make him from the outset conspicu-
| Gus figure in public attention. Although
| now called to higher position in civil life
| than he has yet occupied, Governor Stan
| ford is not a novice in civil administration
or in the art of politics. Naturally fitted
for a high public career by the possession
Of broad personal sympathies, an active
public spirit. and the deepest inspirations
of patriotism, he early entered public life,
ana by his clear and methodical coinpre-
hension of the issues of his time. rapidly
| assumed that leadership in his party to
which his force of character and the high
moral courage of well-defned convictions
assigned him. The leading and essential
characteristic of Governor Stanford's mind
is the requirement of a broad understand
ing of any subject by the mastery of its
| most central and fundamental principles
With a remarkable aptitude for generalza-
ton, he combines logical faculty of infer
ence which leads at once to the adoption
of the most scientific method of INQUIRY.
discovering clearly to his comprehen-
sion the controlling factors under
lying every subject. The time which a less
lucid intelligence would spend in becom-
ing acquainted with external facts, he de-
votes to the ascertainment of fundamental
principles and infers with unerring certain
ty the co-relatiye facts which necessarily
flow therefrom. Politics in its more elc-
waited Interpretation rises to the dignity of
science which is of vital interest TO States
In modern times the existence of an isola-
ted country is no longer possible The
higher craftsmanship views the society of
society as the paramount political consid-
Grafton. The aXiOmS of political science
proceed from a knowledge of the true in
terests of all States and nationalities The
doctrine of national unity as maintained
by the Republican party, with its conse-
quent augmentation of national dignity.
importance and power, as against the doc
trine of confederacy where the paramount
sovereignty is vested in the integer rather
than in the sum, las protested by the Democ-
racy, classified Governor Stanford with
the Republican party by the law of natural
selection. Diplomacy relates to politics as
science to art Possessing in high degree
diplomatic temperament and faculty,
Governor Stanford political aims and am
billions at once arose to the higher plane.
lie entered no political ambition which did
not include the progress and prosperity of
his State, and the augmentation of the in
fiuence and dignity of his country, in the
society of nations. He achieved the high
est executive honors in his State thus
filing the measure of political success to
the full theater of his political activity
From the executive duties of State he de-
voted his abilities to the development of a
great system of transportation. In this
field of activity the same breadth and COM
prehensiveness of conception and execution
accompanied his efforts and character
lied the results. He very early
eOmprehended the adequate relation be-
tween a system of transportation and
the commercial empire which it
ramified and supplemented. The develop |
ment and establishment of great and |
complete system of rapid communication
is a field atfording ample scope for the ex- |
ercse of the highest faculties of the mind |
In its financial aspects it is greater, which |
includes the less, reducing the ordinary
financial occupations to the subordinate re- |
lation of being merely its incident The |
introduction of rapid transit and quick |
communication was a new factor in modern
civilization sustaining an important relation |
with every social and economic considera-
ton, the tar-reaching significance of which |
was but dimly perceived and imperfectly |
understood by conservative minds 1t opened |
q vista of progress upon which men entered !
with hating timidity. introduced innova- |
tons into the science of polical economy |
and the laws of commerce and production |
which conservatism regarded with grave |
apprehensions. 1t was an expression, in a |
new form, of civilizing power. Governor |
Stanford very early mastered its underlying |
principles and clearly comprehended It's |
benefcent results. The inland transporta- |
ton interest of the nation acquired gigantic |
proportions as if in q single day. 1t was |
an attribute of progress brought into being I
by the demands of civilization, hencetorth |
to occnpy a place as one of the permanent
institutions of the world. 1t had come to |
take its place and exert its due influence |
upon every attribute Of commercial and |
political life, and it would divide power |
with the forces which had dominated |
public thought prior to his advent. The |
Introduction of every new controlling fac |
tor disturbs and supplants existing condi-
tons. As soon as it was perceived that |
this interest must be adjusted into proper
relations with all others and would oc- |
cupy place proportionate to its magni- |
tude, the gravest apprehensions arose |
which intensified into real or pretended |
fears that it sould dominate to their injury, |
existing commercial and political interests.
The contest which ensued attracted the at
tention of the most profound minds, and |
engaged the pens of the ablest economists |
of the country. From the beginning Gov
ernor Stanford comprehended, with singu-
lar clearneSs, the community of interest I