The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1890-02-14
IN INDEPENDENT OPINION

independents newspaper, but 1t has al
ways supporte d the policy OF the dem
ocratic party, except during the war for
the Union, when that party persist
emily obstructed every act ol President
Lincoln for the suppression of the re-
bellion. As the most powerful anti
republican journal in the country,
therefore, its opinions on the political
situation are always interesting and
entertaining. The following editorial,
in late number of the Herald, will
command attention for the plain
truths that it conveys. It is entitled,
| ssrHE PRESIDENT AND HIS PARTY"
'.Some republican journals speak
spitefully Of their president, and lead
ing republican politicians everywhere
though carefully silent in public, in
private conversation use very harsh
words about Mr.. Harrison. There
upon we notice some democratic
journals pick their fints and take
shot at the poor fellow also, and de-
clare hopefully that Mr.. Harrison and
his party are going to pieces.
ave should like to see the republi-
can party going to pieces. But we
are not of those who believe it will
split upon that rock When it flies
apart 1t will be because large and
constantly increasing number of its
voters demand more liberal CONNER
cial laws. The New England cry for
free wool is much more dangerous to
the party cf Reed and Mckinley than
its quarrels with its president.
! "Every party quarrels with its presi-
dent, particularly in the earlier part of
his term, when he is employed in dis
tributing pap among his hungry fol-
lowers. Especially Is this true of the
republican party-the party, as Its
| ioeidSiS ooaot, Vi tuS CuuCdlCA SidoSCS,
the gentlemen, the kind, that is to say,
who want soft berth, with good pay
and little work, and that indoors in
pleasant quarters. Such party con-
sists very largely of Office seekers, and
it is certain to quarrel with president
who has not enough to give away to
go around.
"What republican president has had
decent treatment from his party2 Mr.
Lincoln, in spite of the vast patron
age which the war gave him, was
obliged to face an army of 'soreheads'
nearly as numerous as the army in the
field. General Grant needed all his
stout will to keep down the mutineers
in his party, and declared with disgust
that the presidency was made an IN
tolerable burden, not by his opponents,
but by his party friends. Not to speak
of poor Hayes, General Garfield per-
ished of the quarrels of his party, and
| Mr.. Arthur was the target of incessant
abuse and scurrility from his party.
| It. is said Mr.. Harrison will have no
influence with his party, because they
hate him. That remains to be seen.
For the present we notice that the re-
publican senators are confirming his
nominations without delay. But what
president in recent years has had in
fuence with congress7 Certainly not
Mr.. Arthur, whose veto message on
the exorbitant river and harbor bill
was openly and scurrilously defed and
denounced by leading republicans on
the floor of the house, and whose most
useful recommendations were denied
even the decency of consideration by
his party in both houses. Certainly
not Mr.. Cleveland, who spenr three
years in vainly urging his party tc
sensible policies, and who in the first
two years of his reign was far more
bitterly and openly denounced by his
party leaders than Mr.. Harrison or
even Mr.. Arthur. In spite of this, by
the way, Mr.. Cleveland is now said to
be the most popular man in his party.
From that fact Mr.. Harrison's friends
may get hope and courage.
What has Mr.. Harrison done that
his party should SO vigorously dislike
him2 Like Mr. Cleveland he has hon.
estly and courageously stuck to the
party platform-that is the main cause
of his party's woes. He has not all
lowed himself to become the slave of
ambitious senator's and representatives