Evening star., 1935-08-25
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

The traffic dangers in Washington
were not as extensive or as grave as
Dangerous today. but they were none
theless the cause of vigor-
OrlVlng. Gus protest. The Star Of
August Is, 1885, says:
THE common indulgence in fast driv-
ing over street crossings in Washington
resulted in the destruction of a carriage
and the probable ruin of horse on
one Of the uptown streets last evening.
This is an encouraging sign to Pc
destrians. So long as nothing more
serious than the occasional killing or
manning of foot passenger came from
fast driving, there was little prospect
of a reform. But now that it is demon
Strated that horses may be hurt and
carriages damaged through that dan
gerous pastime there is ground for hope
that drivers will, in the future. be
little more careful. It is evident that
as rule they hold property to be more
valuable than persons, especially poor
devil of a person who goes about on
foot"
"The alleged break between Tilden
and the administration" says The Star
Tilden and Of August %, 1885. must
be taken with more than
cleveland. the usual grain of salt.
Still the report is plausible, for Tihen
has never shown himself warm friend
of Cleveland and he may feel less IA
vorably inclined than ever now in view
of the disregard which the President
displayed for his recommendations in
respect to the New York City appoint
ments However, it would be very unlike
Tilden to let any resentment he might
feel show in his conduct.
"If Tilden really has broken with the
administration and has decided to fight
it, that is his privilege as an American
citizen. But, not to mince words, 1t is
another proof that the once keen and
subtle politician is in his dotage. No
private citizen, however great his genius,
or his claims on the Nations gratitude
and regard, can fight the President with
the slightest success. That truth has
been demonstrated over and over again.
The odds are too great. Tilden would
be crushed just as Grant, for instance,
was overridden when he threw himself
into the breach to save Conkling and
Platt. It is not a question Of individuals,
but a battle between a man and a
machine. Personally, Tilden might still
WELD a greater influence than Cleve-
land, but the President of the United
States would ride over the Sage of
Greystone as the steamship City of Rome
recently cut down fishing schooner on
the Banks without jarring the pas
Sengers Of the great ship from their
sleep.
"Our history is strewn with the wrecks
of great men who have measured their
individual strength against that of the
Government. In two or three instances
also whole. party has broken with its
chief. But even then the President has
won. His power, in fact, is almost ire
sistible. In his single person he repre-
sents under the Constitution a power
equal to that of all the Senators and
Representatives, or of the Supreme
Court, and by the course of events his
authority is practically in excess of what
the trainers of the Constitution in
tended. His chief check in our day is
not so much in legal restraints as in
the moral influence of public opinion.
An administration that has the conf
dence Of the masses of the people has
little to fear from the hostility Of any
individual or even of any party"