The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-05-24

reconstruction of the southern |
states on Lincoln's plan. Unfor.
tunately it was too late to make Il
the same healing measure that the
great emancipation had designed Il
to be. For unlimited negro suffrage
had been thrust into the constitu.
ton, contrary to Lincoln's advice,
with the evil result that q solid
south continues to plague the IA.
ton.
Hayes came to the presidency IN
the depths of an industrial prostra.
ton, when wandering bands Of
tramps thronged the highways Of
the land, and soon the first great
railway strike paralyzed trans
portation between the Atlantic and
the Mississippi. In response to the
popular cry for more money
both parties in congress were for
repeating or modifying the resump
ton act and for initiating the
currency with greenbacks on silver
coinage. The president firmly re-
sisted such a surrender. Had not
his veto Of the silver bill been
overridden he would have saved
the country from taking the first
step on the road that led it to the
brink of free silver in 1896.
All this independence cost Hayes
the support OF the political time
servers and the applause Of the
partisan press. These united in de-
nouncing and ridiculing him as a
renegade in politics and as SWIVEL
ing hypocrite in private life.
Both Mr.. and Mrs. Hayes were
more devotional in their religion
than any other tenants OF the White
house. The day was regularly
opened with all the household
kneeling at morning prayers, and
often the evenings were given over
to the singing of the familiar old
hymns.
The White house went dry Tor
the first time under the Hayes ad-
miEistration, and the preslden!
was held up to contempt as a man
too stingy to stand treat and TOO
weak to resist a domineering VIE.
Conkling's lips curled into sneef
as he portrayed the henpecked nus,
bard taking a furtive drink behind
the door or secretly quenching lib
thirst with loaded" oranges.
F., 1t was true that the White mouse
chef, perhaps at the instigation 0.
one of the bibulous cabinet, relieved
the arid situation at first by sel''
ing Roman punch in oranges at 'ne
state banquets, a refreshing course
which Secretary Evarts hailed q
the "life-saving station in the iohs
formal dinners. When Mir. and MIS-
Hayes discovered the trick, they or
dered the cook to turn the JOKE Oh
the guests by giving the ice rulA.
my flavor but without putting II .
drop of rum. Whether the pres,
dental couple. smiling oeh!nu
their napkins, or those who con'ah.
ued to smack their lips over ,Ii'
item in the menu were really ioo''''
history saith not. >, .s,.
| Robert G. Ingersoll saia .. .a
HAYES went in by one majority saa
came out unanimously. NeVellhe,
less the Republican party was -
discredited in 1876 that It was ~
able to get an undisputed maui :,
ity even of one vote at the emu =.
!the Hayes administration or xs'
strong enough to carry tne ooa w.
try in 1880 and inaugurate pie''
ldent with a clear title. ,..,
Hayes found the north and sou..
divided and he left them more n 'a ,
| ly united than they had peen ~
generation. He found the nauon On
currency paper and he LETT u so,.
and silver. He found the prosp..,,
ity of the country at dead 10" N'
and he left it at high tide: A.,
1t fell to Hayes to ring Gown c; ~
curtain on the epoch of the Wv wv
war and to usher in another epo W.
The voices of the past crieo % -
against him, but in his compete :. !,
. tirement from politics he iVea ~
. hear the voices of the new w. W,
give a more favorable and Inv NV,
, Just verdict on his adminis'fs''''
published by special arrangemeD'
roucno Syndicate.