The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-07-11
THE GARLAND RESIGNATION,

Itmay be that the rumor which attri-
butes to Attorney-General Garland an
intention to resign from the Cabinet,
has a substantial foundation, but good
men viii keep on fearing there is moth
ing in it. Good men have thought and
said ever since Mr.. GaTland's cOnnec
ton with the telephone business became
known. that he should surrender his
Office, and relieve the administration
and the Democratic party of the weight
which the suspicion of crookedness on
his part imposes. The recent report by
the Congressional committee white
washing the Attoiney-General and at
tempting TO exonerste him from actual
or implied wrong doing, has not in the
least degree changed the opinion Of
anybody, nor has it relieved Mr.
Garland; nothing that can be said
in his behalf, will destroy. the fact that
he voluntarily and knowingly accepted
something for nothing, allowing his
name and reputation TO be used 70 give
value where there was no value, and to
sell for a price something that was
worthless. 1t is asking too much OF
credulity to suggest that Mr.. Garland
did not know he was doing wrong; to
suggest this is to say that ose of the
sblest, cleverest and shrewdest men in
the nation is a simpleton, who can be
played upon and used at will by rogues
aud scoundrels. Mr.. Garland had
rather be called a scoundrel than fool.
1t is probably true, as the committee
reported, that the gentleman, when be
accepted as a gift large block of Pan
Electric stock, the only consider
alton returned being the permits
sion to use his name to give
value to the other shares, did
not know that he was to be Attorney
General or that it would be in his
power as the chief law officer of the
nation to inspire hope in the hearts of
the Pan Electric stockholders by insti-
tuting legal proceedings on the part of
the government to nullify the Bell tsle-
phone patent; but his ignorance of the
future does not relieve him from CEN
sure. He was a Senator with q most
excellent reputation for probity and mp
rightness, and because of that reputs-
ton he was valuable to the schemers.
He must have known why his name
was wanted, for he could not have been
ignorant of the fact that neither rogues
nor saints are in the habit of giving
something for nothing. There is
q motive, even in charity, ana
in this instance ordinary common
sense must have told him that the
motive was not a proper one.
The most charitable view of the case
that can be taken, is that which excuses
Garland on the score of thoughtless-
ness, and if we accept that il still does |
not relieve the Attorney General from |
the demand that he retire. A man
who viii make such errors thought
lessly ought not to occupy the position
held by Mr.. Garland.
However, it is to be feared that the |
rumor OF his ea:ly retirement is but the
revival of an old suggestion that has
been repeated periodically ever since
the exposure came months ago. 1t is
rather a popular expression of opinion
IS to what the gentleman should do.
han belief of what he will do. We
10 not believe he VIII resign unless his
shall be called for by the
and it is not probable that
dr. Cleveland win ask for the stepping
Town and out Of his law adviser, after
tanding by him all this time. and being
amiliar with the facts which the gen
raj public thought were sufficient upon
which to base q demand for the imme
late retirement of the official.