Year: 1877




The most surprising thing about Secretary
Sherman speech at Mansfield Friday is its
delivery. We have been told that no Office
holder would be permitted to take active part
in political campaign, and the prohibition
has been put in the form of an executive
order. That order has received many and
conflicting interpretations, and the practical
one just given to it by the Secretary of the
Treasury would lead us to believe that it only
applies to office-holders outside of Ohio. But
we prefer to think that Mr.. Sherman declines
to give up his freedom of political action
and proposes to take haud in party politics
even at the risk of losing his official posi-
ton.


The speech was in the main about what
the country expected to hear from Secretary
Sherman. He is so closely identified with
the administration and so intimately con-
nected with the measures by which at the
last moment the opposition of the National
House to the Inauguration of President
Hayes was overcome that he cannot with
hold his endorsement of the Southern policy.
His argument for it appears to be. as one
would expect from a man of his ability, as
strong and ingenious as the case would allow.
But if, as the policy men claim, the Southern
question has passed out of politics and the
course of the President is irreversible, why ia
it necessary that cabinet officer should dis
regard in his own person another administra-
tion measure in order to defend upon the
stump the Southern policy? When the
reader comes to that part of the speech re-
lating to the method of civil service reform
which the administration has made its own
the contrast between Sherman preaching and
Sherman practicing is so great that much of
the force of the argument is lost.


Upon the questioniof resumption the Secre-
tary takes positive ground, and his attitude is
worthy of all praise. 1t is a qualification 10
find an Ohio politician taking ground boldly
in favor of the resumption act. What is said in
regard to the distractions which Congress
has placed in the way of a speedy return to
specie payments is true and weighty; and
the first business of that body at its coming
session should be by appropriate legislation
to provide facilities for ''the easiest, planest,
and surest mode of resumption" 1t is graf
flying too, to notice that the head of the
Treasury does not give his assent to the
Ohio silver doctrine, through it will be no.
ticed with some misgiving that he everywhere
uses the word "coin' idstead of "gold'' in
discussing the method of resumption.


The utterances of Mr.. Sherman upon, the
labor question, are not sufficiently explicit to
afford us a clear idea of his views. In Ohio
both parties are striving to gain the vote of the
labor-agitators, and it appears TO have been
the purpose of the Secretary to say nothing
which should prejudice the Republican
chances to win that vote. So he confined
himself to generalities rather unmeaning
than broad. But there are hints in his re-
marks that he looks with some favor upon
the foolish and extravagant project of estab
fishing an industrial bureau and of putting
the railroads under government control. 1t
is to be hoped that fuller report of his re-
marks will not justify the conclusion in this
direction which the telegraphic synopsis
compells the reader to draw.