New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-31
THE YEAR.
CIRCUIT OF THE WORLDS HISTORY
IN 1886.
POLITICS, WAR AND LEGISLATION Al
HOME AND ABROAD.
THE UNITED STATES.


istrotion. during which the Union had been pre-
served the National debt reduced nearly one-halI'
spccie PAYMENTS resumed National banking sys-
tenn established, the Industries OF the country VI
yers fled and developed by protection, slavery aDo'-
1shed and Civil Service reform introduced lho
Democratic party. which had been on inc WRONG
side of nearly every public question during tnas
period resumed on that day the Responsibilities Vi
Office. which its last Presidential representative,
James Buchanan. had pusillanlmousiy shTNeu anu
which his colleagues had reasonably renounced'
The prominence given to the South IN the Caolnet
amendments, the selection of Confederate generals
and Northern Copperheads for conspicuous posts
ot home and abroad and the lowering OF the
National flag for JEFF, rsOn Thompson. ndl-
Gated tho continuity of Democratic admins
tration in 1884 and 1860. The rejection by tho
Democratic House of provision IN tho ouhury
| Civil Appropriation bill empowering the PRESIDENT
TO suspend silver coinage lFebruary2Gl proved thaI
| the party was as persistent III Its opposition
! IN sonnd priuciDes of finance and ready to de-
stroy National credit as it was when 1t had adVO-
Gated Imitation, fought against specie resumption
! and plotted against tho National banks. len
| months of Democratic Administration have demon
stratcd that 1t is the same old party that has re-
turned to power that it has forgotten as LITTLE as
il has learned and that 1t is illprepared to sustain
genuine measures Of reform.
The closing session of the XLVIllth Congress was
barren of important results. The principal meas
ures enacted were bills providing for tho admission
of French spollation claims to tho Court OF CLAIMS
within two years prohibiting TIE prepayment OF
| transportation or the importation of foreign con-
tract labor; restoring General Grants rank IN the
! army on the retired list; returning the residue OF
| the Chinese Indemnity to the Chinese Government;
approprlating s 4 $4,000 for tho construction OF
| ,i..af and
one light gunboat; reducing rates of postage aud
regulating settlements IN the Indian Territory anu
the forfeiture of certain railroad lands. Legls-
| lation of the first Importance was aban-
doncd The bills for regulating the Presidential
! successon and the counting of the Electoral vote
were not carried through the lower housc. SILVER
coinage was not suspended. although tho necessity
for II was apparent IN February, when the New
! York banks were forced to receive silver certih-
cafes IN payment al balances due from the Govern
rnent 10 the Clearing House. Even Nr. Cieyelands
! letter TO Mr. Warner iayoring the immediate su5-
ucnsion OF silver coinage was without eject, ana by
| the decisive vote Of l4o 70 llS the House Declined
! "a allow, him TO act upon his discIctoI. Measures
for the promotion Of interstate commerce. th> r.
organization Of the Supreme Court the rc-anAct-
nl,nt ola National bankruptcy law. Tho strengthen
INA. Of the National bank and tha encouragement OF
! the merchant marine were not passed. with tho
good measures tho bad failed also-crulo silver in
aatun bills and the proposed scheme Of tarh re-
vision.
Thcimportant treaties negotiated by President
| Arihur's Administration were not confirmed bJ the
Senate. although extensively dscn icd IN cX-
ccutiyc session Tho Nicaragua Canal convention
Was laboriously defended 10y senator Edmund, on
the ground that 1t did not violate the provisions
of the CLAYTON Bulwcr treaty and thltin any event
~ % fF
stats Government. The opponents of The con-
y,D,on coutrovertci both OF the." pcopo iions and
maintained that tho United States could u'' 90,
,i,. tho whole cost OF tho enterprise and all tht
responsibilities of a prot"ct'rItc.H Great Britain
were lot in ful possession of the right oi joni
control over the canal. The commercial t1eatlr
with spain aud ~4Hto Domingo were opposed on TEE
GROUND that they created revenue for Cuba ana the
West Indies without Offering any advantages L
the United State, commensurate with the ,lcr.hrc'
cp,ailed Senator Norull took issue witt
any and every r,ciprocit. treaty with IN III
frrior stale coutcndius that such conventions Ncr
unconstitutional. and were prohibited by the mo,
favored nation treatment accorded to European
STATES All these treaties Woro Withdrawn bY Pres
id.ut Cleveland last March Tor examination hy th
new Administration. In his Message he colo.Innr'
the canal convention on broad er"Hn"s and ihdi
Gated that any reciprocity treaty concluded hy th
! Administration With Spain would be fr.c from ;h'
crave objections urged against the recent treaty
The McXictn trcay still awaits tho stipulated leg
islatiou required io render It operative Tie coH.
D.. mcrclal policy which Secretary IriiuEiuysch 50
- ,irenuous,y advocated has collapsed lrJm shee
. hamilton.
l. President Cicveiand's inaugural produced a IA
yor.b.c impression in consequence @. IT. cons IVA
tive tone and his professions of sincere inte.es
= IN Civil service reform and la, assurance
that lie aimed TO conduct busines'-ilae admins
trat!UB aud 10 uFGOid the llgLlS OF rll.+ 'u'llP u
. The south. Ten months have inIcI'c'cd duuu
which u has been possible 10 compar" hiS practc
=, with his professions. I'm the conduct OF iorclg
' affair, he has maintained safe, II not particularly
= bril- liant. policy. rOmcol MS diplomatic appoint
"a mcDts nave boon exceptionally good, bul the cor
Of sular service. winch had been steadily improve
T. | uudcr EepubiiCan administrator, and TcJruitc
4 mainly from the commercial classes, has been coi
y verted into n conrlng-houso for tho llqn,dation q
u political debts. The rejection at Mr kelley al tW
IA foreign courts and tho deliberate neglect 10 ~
10 point his successor at Vienna. have exposed IN
he State Department 10 Iidiculc e home and abroad
is and in the official correspondence Seciciar
go Bayard succeeds in making diplomatic hu
al esque of tins fantastic episode IEc iCrelg
re relations OF this country h"TTG Oern 3;
II ing incident has been the employment Of Unite
r Statos marines ia keeping The transit open acro
He the lsthmus of Darcn duringShe Colombian eV'
~ The general administration OF the Departmental III
49, been conducted with an Us Cutllltu3 uib9Iy
bt-iucNa-i kc capacity anu Vi ~ '-''''H'
to three Of them in addition To- the State Department
Cd -, ,vc bcrn lamont atltnmI.tra failure
The Postmaster-Gcnrrm declined to pay
American steamship lines an appropriation
100000, which Congress had designed eNcln
ne lively for them N a legitimate compensation u
an, | calrying foreign mails. The companies refused
49, do the work for inadequate rates and tho Cover
'' meut IN making clumsy and artlhclai oiI 1ngcWcu
on flr mail transportation has caused serious nco
ng yeuirucc TO the business community, besides iii
ed eliminating uniusuy against American shippm
nd The ab1uugnm"nt ~ ihe AUST i''i'n my M'H IL
od other development of lie same hostile policy. 81
in rotary Whitney meanwhile. was conducting 81!
led liar v arfare upon the American shphuiidlpg /
dustry. The Dolphin was rejected, tho Advisor
Board was discredi'cd, the completion OF tn" cruz
ers delayed and the contractor for the four Yc'sg
Of driven mto bankruptcy In n series OF systemat