New-York tribune., 1885-03-04
TrjF OUTGOING PRESIDENT

which ends to-day, has been In some respects
a pleasurable disappointment to the country
1t began under circumstances OF the greatest
difficulty. But the extraordinary circumstances
were so fully appreciated by an Intelligent
people that, while they made the path OF Mr..
Arthur more difficult, they secured for MIN from
the first a measure of charity and KIND consider
ation rarely accorded to any President, and
never before to a Vice-President who had
succeeded to the Presidency. Hence 1t is the
truth that Mr.. Arthurs administration has from
the first been criticised less impatiently where
il deserved criticism and commended more
hearil where it deserved commendatlon, tian
any other administration for many years. The
reasons for this were in the mail. ..creditable
alike TO the President and to the people, for
he showed at once an earnest desire to prove
worthy of the responsibility cast upon him ; and
his party showed, with really remarkable
unanimity. disposition tOencourage him to the
.utmost in every good word and work On the
other hand, the Democratic party, remembering
that every previous Vice President who had
succeeded TO the Presidency had gone over to
the opposition, looked for a separation between
Republican elements, and was therefore led by
motives not altogether the highest 10 treat
Mr. Arthur's course with unwonted considera-
ton and favor. Thus by all parties his mis-
takes were lightly touched, and his really
worthy acts were warmly appreciated, while
the people recognized the general dignity ana
integrity of his administration.
Notwithstanding these peculiarly favorlng
circumstances, it must be the judgment OF
impartial history that on the whole the admin
istration of President Arthur was not a success
1t did not add to the prosperity OF the country
1t failed to bring about legislation to guard
against financial and industrial disaster. In
the end it transferred the power to the party
against which Mr.. Arthul's lifelong efforts and
earnest convictions were directed. Failure is
not always fault. In some worthy Efforts, Ires-
ident Arthur's administration failed because he
could not control events, in Others because he
was not strU0g enough to command adequate
party support, or to enlist a suhciently active
pubhc opinion. But it will be the judgment OF
the historian that his scanty measure OF success
was due in part to favOring circumstances, as
well as TO creditabe and patriotic aims, while
his illsuccess was due To vital differences of
Op;uiOn between himself and the majority OF
the party upon which he relied for support.
1t became apparent very early that President
Arthur's conceptions of the tariff question
differed essentially from those OF his party.
Strictly speaking, he was not a believer In the
protective system, and was at all times inclined
to look upon the protective features of the tariff
as evils 10 be removed or abated if possible. In
his earliest messages he recommended revis
ioi, of the tariff, and repeal of all internal taxes
except on whslSey and tobacco. In his second
annual message he urged more particularly
Of tbn 1t,ti..s on. ifnp
and woolen goods, wool, silk, iron and steel
and other important articles. These recon-
mendatiOns, however respectfully treated, were
hostile to the beliefs of ninetenths of his party,
which nevertheless cOncurred with the recon-
mendatiOn that a revision to remove discrep-
ancies and antiquities from the tariff was
desirable. But the result OF the latest election
has proved that a decided majority, not only OF
his party, but of the whole people, disseDted
from the opinion which he no doubt honestly
entertained, that general and material reduc-
ton of duties was needed. His position in this
respect, therefore, deprived him Of leadership,
and indeed of large influence with his party,
which nevertheless gave him full credit whcr-
ever it could, and supported him III the main
with good feeling
President Arthur's veto of the River and
Harbor bill, which Congress nevertheless passed,
was one of the most honorable acts of his admin
istration, and deserved the hearty praise which
it everywhere received. His recommendations
repeatedly made, that the coinage OF silver
should be stopped, were equally praiseworthy,
and highly commended, and his approval of
civil service reform, and efforts to enforce the
law in good faith, entitled him to high praise.
Nevertheless these most praisewOrthy steps
operated with the divergence from his party
on the tariff question to weaken his influence.
1t was noticed that his appointments were not
in all cases in harmony with the Civil Service
law which he so warmly approved. Nor did he
consistently endeavor, in the exercise of his
patronage, to encourage and build up the better
sentiment of his party with respect to silver
coinage, river and harbor jobs, or civil service
reform. Those who opposed his course in
these matters appeared to lose no favor with
the administration by doing so. and thus it
came to pass that, as a large proportion OF the
more earnest and thoughtful Republicans were