Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-08-10
-
President HarrisOn's Backbone.

lie pidtiotul issueu Ny tne NcpuDlitau
convention, at Harrisburg, contains the
following Endorsement Of the present
national administration ave cordially
endorse the administration of President
Benjamin Harrison, because II steadily
devotes itself to the work Of broad and
intelligent administration by competent
and trusty officials" &c. This dcclara-
ton Of approval and confidence in the
present national administration on the
part of the Republican party in Penn
sylvania will Ike n matter for consider
alton In the coming campaign, II is, of
course, the conventional and formal en-
dOrsement which is wont to be one of
the first planks in state platform. But
1t is declaration that goes out 10 the
good and sober people Of the state, and
upon this the Republican party will ask
for their votes at the election in Novem-
Der. 1t brings into the issue OF the cam
candidate for the office of state treasurer,
but the merit and worth and honesty of
the administration of President Harri-
son are likewise involved
What has this administration done To
commend itself TO the judgment of hon
est and law-abiding people? Has it
kept the pledges that were made with
such loud voice at the Chicago con
vention? The majority of the people
did not elect Mr.. Harrison TO the presi-
dency, and we do not believe a majority
OF the people will sustain him. During
the progress of the campaign the Re-
publican papers urged his election on
the ground that nothing could be ar
rayed against him, that he was hon.
est, competent and clean. They in
sisted that he would deal fairly with the
civil service law, protect the consttu-
ton, carry out the laws and make a
wise, conservative and dignfied presi-
dent. We assert, most positively, that
in the half year of his incumbency every
promise that was made for him was vio-
lated. The civil service law was utterly
disregarded In very many instances, aud
his secretary of the interior openly ad-
mitted that he had not thought il worth
consideration in making appointments
IN his department. Postmaster General
Wanamaker, while publicly giving out
his adherence 10 the system with the
loud voice of a dilettante, all the time is
making removals from the fourth-class a
post0ffices at the rate of 600 a week with.
out any pretense of cause. The same
disregard of constitutional and statute
law Is q distinguishing feature in the
other departments of the national ad
ministration.
As to the conservative wisdom of Mr..
Harrison, il is the wisdom of stupidity (;
and If he We're revolving ponderous
ideas Of statecraft in his brain with the
energy of a Wouter Won TwiIler. as the
personal head Of the government, he
could not be weaker. President Harri-
son exhibits the sfmmon weakness of
many good men. And he lacks Just that
quality which has politically ruined
many men otherwise good and honora-
bic. One Of the strongest men intellec-
Waliy that ever sat in the gubernatoriaI
cnalr OF Pennsylvania, was Henry NJ.
hoyt. He was good lawyer, a sound
)urist ana an unusually well educated
man. But he fell from his high estate
when he yielded to the corrupt crowd
Of Philadelphia bribers and thieves, and
pardoned Kemble at the solicitation of
kemble's bosom friend and companion.
Quay. lie did not possess the moral
courage, the nerve or backbone or what
ever you please 10 call it. He was beset
with thieves, bribers aud gamblers, and
ne had not the nerve to resist their de-
mands.
II y just this quality which President
Harrison conspicuously lacks, and il is
this which Is making him woflil failure
- president. lie may be a good lawyer