The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-10-19
SHERMAN ON FINANCE
HIS RECOLLEC gIONS OF FORTY
YlARs IN CONGRESS AND
TIE CABINET.
SOME L0NG-gEPT SECRETS TOLD


Frankaess and But Little Attempt at
Literary Grace is Made--lt is an Ex-
position of the Financial Policy of
the Republican Party--Cri'icism OF
Garfield and Ills Nomination for
Presideny So Grants administration.
CHICAGO, H., Oct. 18. The intrigues
the jaalousie5 and the traitOronS knife
thrusts Of the last half century Of Amer
lean state craft are revealed III the fierce
light of stern criticism ia John Sher
mans recoltections of forty years IN the
House. Senate and Cabinet" just pub
lished IN this city The fear that the
venerable Senator would reveal secrets
long KEEP from the public In his forth
coming work has been to an extent re
allied Grant, Garfield, Blaine, Arthur,
Harrison and other Republican leaders
are spoken of with unstinted praise for
their nigh personal worth or statesman
ship, but each il, in guarded and covert
language, shown in the less commend
able light of scaeming politicians. The
criticism is almost Invariably implied
rather than direct, but it stands out
clearly in the work as whole.
Owing to the expectation that the work
would be in a measure sensational, and
the anxiety felt in diplomatic circles over
its forthco ning, frequent effort has been
made TO gain information regarding It's
contents.
But the Associated Press is enabled to
present TO day for the first time, a re-
sumo of Mr. Snerman's autobiography.
AS anticipated, the feature OF the book
is its ex reme trankness, the sty In
which Mr.. Sherman has expressed him
self, showing the sratezman rather than
the professional book maker. The woi k
is marked by clear cut sentences aGd
blunt expressions of opinion, and but
little attempt at literary grace Is made
The book is very evidently intended by
the author as an exposition OF the tinan-
cial policy of the Republican party, which
to great extent Is his own, and about
the extensive elaborate history of Amer
ican finances is woven anectoGe ami per
sonai remlniscence replete with interest
to every student of politics.
Owing 70 the close association OF 3r,
Sherman and James A. Garfield, the
criticism Of the nomination or the latter
for President Of the United Sia5as is
perhaps one of the most striking features
of the BOOK. The author, while carefully
avoiding direct charge of treacheTy on
the part OF the ex President, very signi
fcantly makes it plain that Mr.. Garfield
was nominated at a convention TO which
hehad gone as the trusted leader of the
Sherman forces. After showing, by the
Publication OF private letters, covering q
period of years of close political and
personal association that Mr. Garfield
Was in reality his political protege, Mr.
Sherman gives in detail the hlstory CT
the national convention Of 1880 Follow
ing the account of his own struggle for
the nomi nation, he says:
'In time / became thoroughly advised
Of wnat occurred at the Chicago Oonyen-
ton, and had become entirely reconclled
to the result, though frequently after
wards [ heard incidents and details
which occasioned me great pain, and
which, 10 establish the want or sincerity
on the part of some OF the delegates,
tended to show that for some time before
the meeting of the convention the nomi-
nation of General Garfield had been
agreed upon"
The stiog felt by Garfeld's detection IN
1880 il inadvertently shown by a sentl.
ment expressed during the discussion OF
the National Convention OF 1892, where
the Senator remarks:
From later developments, became
satisfied that Harrison could be elected,
that PLatt and powerful Nsw York in
aueuoe would defest him IL nominated.
therefore preferred the nomination OF
q new man, such as William Mckinley,
bat b } bad committed himself 10 Har-
rison, and, according to my code or
honor, could not accept nomination
even il rendered him. !"
When it was remembered that Blaine
was also a candidate for the Presidency
before the convention that nominated
Galaeld. the significance OF the follow
ing exclamation on the part OF Senator
Sherman OF why he was not re-appointed
by President Garfield as Secretary of the
Treasury is readily understood:
'In the latter part of November, 1880,
asn. Garfield came TO Washington and
called upon Mr. Blaine, who, it was un
ksrstood, was to be Secretary of State.
GARFIELD came to my house directly from
tsaaered that office to Blaine and that
it WAS accepted. He said that Blaine
taeught it Won not be political wisdom to
oon due me as Secretary OF TIE Treasury,
as it would be regarded as an unfriendly
discrimination by other members OF
Hayes cabinet. ! promptly replied that
/ agreed with the opinion of B aine, and
was q candidate for the Senate"
Something of the political scheming
that again resulted in the defeat of the
Ohio statesman in the National Conyen
tiom of 1888 and brought about the nom
ination of ex-President Harrison car
essily be read between the lines in that
part of the work devoted to this strug
gle. In discussing the result Mr. Sher
man says that he becomes satisfied thai
one delegate from New York controlled
the entire delegation from that State,
4. "A ia