Year: 1875

THE PROSPECTS OF REFORM.


rrrom the New York Times-1


It Is by no means venturesome to
say that the greater part OF the dis
affection in the Republican party,
which brought about the sudden and
unanticipated change from the elec-
xions OF 1872 to those Of 1874, was
caused by a feeling that there were
radical defects In the administration
of the Government which the party
in power showed too little DISPOSE
sion and capacity to remove. And
for this feeling there was some cause.
The disclosures attending the Credit
Mobilier affair and the Sanborn con.
tracts showed that very serious evils
had crept into the management of
public business, and the way In
which these disclosures were met,
together with the display Of half
heartedness and folly and greed In
connection with the passage aud re-
peal Of the Salary law, combined
to make very profound impression
on the public mind. To this was
added the gradual abandonment
and final break down of the civil
service reform, under circumstances
which were deeply discreditable to
both the Legislative and Executive
representatives of the Republican
party. 1t was not strange that a
good many voters should think that
there were dangerous elements in
the conduct OF the Government, and
that the Republican party, under
which these existed, aud under
which they had partially grown up,
was inadequate to their removal.
Nor, under all the circumstances
was 1t surprising that voters who
held this opinion should be willing
TO try the experiment of at least a
partial restoration of the Democratic
party to power. There was really
nothing else Tor them to try. The
experiment OF a third party, though
no, always either foolish or inef-

factive one, had failed so disgrace
.ullv in 1872 that there was nos the
slightest inducemcnt to try il again.
The Democratic party was the only
active and efficient organization In
the field in opposition 10 the Repnb-
licans who felt that reform was re-.
quired and conld not readily be had
from the Republican party WAS to
aid the success of the Democrats,
either by voting for their candidates
or by not voting at all.


That was precisely what great
many Republicans did, and they
have had an opportunity to see how
well their experiment has succeeded.
We are not at all inclined To he dis
satisfied with some of its results. 1t
weeded on, of the Republican party
some men who were more than in
fiuentiai, but whose influence, as
far as 1t went, Was very undesirable.
II aroused the leaders Of the party
to the necessity of giving some solid
guarantees Of the disposition and ca
pacity OF the party to do what its
opponents has been asked to do. II
led to changes in the Cabinet which
every one understands were the best
possible evidence of the good faith OF
the Administration, and which
brought in able men, OF we'll estab.
lished reputation aud sound political
action, To the management OF the
most important departments, and
left but one importan, change TO be
made to complete the assurance
proffered. II brought Congress face
TO face with the certainty OF major
ity In the House that cannot be
trusted with tho national honor, and
so secured the Act OF January lath,
which, II nothing more, distinctly
pledges the Government TO resume
payment in 1879, and erec,s = strong
barrier against any infiationisss and
repudiators. These are part OF the
results Of the reaction OF 1873 and
1874, and they have at least proved
that ut heart the Republican party Is
sound, and that its organization Is
still responsive TO the cnnvicthn and
impulsives Of the mass OF the party


On the . her hand. the Democratic
party has been given . chance 10
show what Its spirit and capacisy
with reference TO reform amount to;
whether Il is either willing sr able
to do anything better than the Re-
publicans the work that needs 70 be
done. We hardly think that candid
men will differ much In their essi-
mates Of the way in which the DEM
~ocrais have improved the chance.
The party must be judged by two
sthings-by the way In which Il has
used the power II has raised, and by
the character of the meu whom Its
victories have brought to the front.
By either OF these tesis does It's pres
~en, position appear satisfactory. In
New York STATE an effort has been
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