Year: 1878




Senator Eaton, of Connecticut, says that
the grsenback-labor party has been formed
ana is meeting with a certain amount Of
success because the working people are dis
conterted with the hard times and do not
know how to remedy the evils they complain
Of


Well, why does not Senator Eaton tell
them? He is a member OF the United States
Senate; he has been long in public life; he
would be offended if any one should sug-
gest that he also was ignorant; and, indeed
we have good deal OF faith IN
his knowledge. Why does he not speak
to the people? What is the use of public
man in such crisis of opinion as this if he
remains silent? The words We address to
Senator Eaton apply equally well to psnch
the greater number Of our public men. They
sometimes speak when the people would
gladly see them silent; but now, when, II
ever, it is important that the public. .snon!d
be rightly instructed; when the hard
times give rise to just dissatisfaction;
when the whole body of the American
people is conscious that something is the
matter and that their affairs are not we'll
managed and have been badly mismanaged;
jus. now when Representative or Senator
ought to advise with and instruct his people,
most of them are sitting on tho fence, twid-
ding their thumbs We do not wonder that
the people have lost confidence in both
the old parties and are taking up new
men, caring little whether the new men
know any more than the old. Senator
Eaton says this greenback-labor movement
comes because of the peoples ignorance
Why does he not enlighten them? Gov
ernor English says it is not much Of q
shower after all. and goes along about
his business. Governor Ingersoll says
he is too busy with his law prac-
tice to take any notice Of political
matters. Governor Jewell is, so far, silent
also. Meantime the Connecticut green
hackers have adopted platform demand
ing a new legal tender imitation, the repeal
of the Resumption act and all the other
so-called measures of relief which would,
if they could be forced upon the country,
only plunge us deeper into the mire out OF
which we are just emerging.


We speak particularly of these Connecti-
cut statesmen because their excuses for
silence appear elsewhere in the HERALD to-
day. But except here and there silence pre-
walls all over the country among men who
ought to think it their first duty now to en-
tighten their constituents on the question
OF the day. In this State Governor Sey
mour has spoken sensibly and wisely;
but we should like to hear from Sen
ator Conkling and Senator Herman;
Senator Randolph, in New Jersey Senator
Wallace, in Pennsylvania, and many other
Senators ought to speak out In Ohio SEN
ator Thurman has spoken, and Senator
Matthews agrees with him SO entirely that
he can be spared to argue cases. He would
only say ditto to Mr.. Thurman. In Indiana
Senator Daniel Webster Voorhees,, "the
tall sycophant of the Warbosh," as
the irreverent Western journals begin
to call him, has also spoken, and
is, like Mr. Thurman, tor initiation
only a little more so-while Senator McDon-
aid is on sounder ground. Senator Bayard
has spoken out boldly for sound money.
but tQeTe reuLhlu d BHcue uAaAi CoAoP
men conspicuous in the country's emer-
gency just now only by their silence. We
do not agree with General Butler, Senators
Thurman and Voorhees,, or Mr. Kearney;
but they are at least utspoken-having
opinions they communicate them to the
people. Their course is more reputable
than silence.


General Butler says that the Southern
question is done. "Tne bloody shirt can
not be waved hereafter" He is right. The
'new questions" are coming up-in fact,
they are already here-and if the men now
in political life, and who like to regard
themselves us the leaders of the people, do
not speak out on these new questions they
will be dropped. There never was such
promising opportunity for men ambitious
of political influence and power as now.
The people are suffering and respondent;
they would like TO see industry revive
and prosperity return. They know that
matters have gone wrongly, and are SO
eager for a remedy that scarcely political
quack raises his voice anywhere TO promise
cure with some Morriscn's pill or other
patent bolus, but they cheer him; and yet
Congress full of eminent party hacks are
for the most part as silent as SO many
scared mice. 1t is equally strange that
in the demoralized condition of par
ties so few young and fresh men
turn up as independent candidates,
determined at any rate to instruct
the people and make O record for them
selves for the future, even if they are for
the present defeated. Our colleges turn
out year after year shoals of graduates, all
instructed in political economy, and some
at least in every class capable of contribut-
ing to the discussion of current ques-