The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-03-21
HE BEGINS WELL.

HE BEGINS WELL.
1t is not on record that the inaugural ad
dress OF any President ever received such
commendatory remarks as that OF Mr.
Cleveland Even the papers that were
bitterly hostile to him all along could see
nothing in 1t to condemn, but much to
praise. 1t Is an evidence of an era OF a
better condition of things, politically, when
Republicans come across the line and have
the manhood to greet the Democratic adj
ministration with words of welcome and
speak of President Cleveland as their pres
ident the executive of an entire nation, and
not of any portion of 1t. This Is the pre-
lude to doing away with the strife and
contention of political campaigns and 1t Is
welcome. But few days ago was wit
messed the meeting, for the first time, OF
the two great central figures in the politics
of the most desperate and vigorous presi-
Dental campaign this country ever beheld,
wherein Mr.. Blaine called on the Presi-
dent, and the meeting was a cordial and
friendly one in every respect. Mr. Blaine
was given kindly reception, and on de-
parting the President hoped that he would
visit him frequently. The poison of parti-
san rancor finds no Judgement in the bosom
of him whom the people elevated to the
highest Office within their gift He is the
representative head of nation of nearly
sixty millions of people, and as such will
he administer the affairs of the nation.
His efforts will be directed to economy,
simplicity and strict honesty In the depart
mental branches of the government. The
inaugural says:
1--WE should never be ashamed of the
simplicity and prudential economies which
are best suited to the operation of repub-
lican form of government, and most com
patible with the mission of the American
people Those who are selected for lin.
tied time to manage public affairs are still
of the people, and they do much by their
example to encourage, consistently with
the dignity of their official functions, that
plain way of life which among their fellow
citizens aids integrity and promotes pros
perity."
This passage is well worthy OF thought
full consideration. 1t is truly characteristic
of the man, and those are the ideas he has
already put In force as far as the few days
of his executive power would permit. The
political skeptics who read the inaugural
and doubted that he would practice what
he preached have only to be informed that
he has Topped off large and useless ex-
penditure of the public money, which
went to provide places in the White House
and in the departments for salaried pets
and clerks, who did nothing but draw their
pay regularly. This is an indication of the
return of the Jefferscnian simplicity of
managing public affairs at Washington;
and it is we'll. For years past the executive
branches of the national government have
been the foster.mother Of rampant corrup-
ton and of an eXtravagant and dissolute
wastefulness of public moneys. Instead of
that plainness which should characterize a
democratic form of government, 1t appear
ed to be the hot bed of an initiative Euro
pean snobbery; 1t was fast drifting into the
aping of monarchical splendor like the be-
dizened courts of ST. James. The govern
ment needs return TO more primitive
simplicity than that introduced under the
rule of Grant, and which has held sway
under his three successors. The rank and
file of the American people regard the
presidency as an office Of public trust.
Their ideal of President is that he shall
be faithful to that delegated trust, that his
official life shall be In conformity to the
spirit of our institutions-entirely destitute
of pomp, ceremony an! ostentation. There
has been continual tendency TO draw the
line of demarkation between the chief off
GERS of the government and the great mass
of the people who created them public
functionaries, by their surrounding them
selves with red-tapeism and ceremonious
formalties, in which the average citizen is
made 70 feel himself out of place, an in
truder and an unwelcome visitor The
people who created these officials have a
direct connection with the government
and this suggestion of President Cleveland
and his subsequent action is both timely
and needful. 1t is this extravaganza In
high places which has led to the corruption
Of former administrations, and which, II