New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-09
MR.. CLEVELAND'S MESSAGE.


| questions of which it treats it deserves hearty
praise. Nor is ii to him discreditable, but
much to his credit, that it is best and most
worthy of commentator just where his party
is worst and its influence is most to be feared
No party spirit is appropriate in Judging OF the
recommendations which the President has to
offer. He has been intrusted with great re-
sponsiblity. For the President and his party
the era of criticism and of promise Is over ;
both are now TO be judged by their perform
ance their capacity in practical admlnistra-
ton. Hence it is appropriate to observe that
the Message while deserving of high COM
mendatiOn in many respects, is likely in lis
best features to meet the determined opposition
of the party in power. The Presidents Message
is most right just where his party is most
wrong and his best advice is just that which is
least likely to be followed.
The Presidents argument for the suspension
of silver coinage is earnest, strong and con-
vincing. Criticism of its details is needless !;
the earnest tone and the clear reasoning OF the
aforementioned February letter appear again
in the Message. 1t is to the credit of the Presi-
dent that there is no waverng or ilinching IN
his recommendation, and his utterances are as
bravely uncOmprOmsing as if he were not
aware of the pronounced hostility of large
majority of his party in the House.
An unusually large part of the Message is
devoted to foreign alta rs. The President
states reasons for declining to recommend the
ratification of the commercial treaties which
were pending at the last session; he gives his
objections to the Nicaragua treaty; he discusses
the Chinese Outrages at the West III an excel
lent spirit he treats of the rejection of Mr..
Kelley and many other details of foreign rela-
tons. This part of the Message is i'll some par
ticulars open to Just criticism. Certainly it is
not the strongest reason for objccting to the
commercial treaties that they do not affect the
whole of our trade with certain countries a
far greater objection is that serious injury to
home industry might result from those treaties.
1t is no light matter that the pending treaties
woald have exposed important branches of in
dustry, particularly in the Atlantic States, to
direct competition with cheaper foreign labor.
But the President seems to have avoided that
view OF the subject His refusal to recommend
the Nicaragua treaty deserves credit but it is
not by any means the only ground for object
ing to that treaty that its terms involved
guarantee of the territorial integrity OF a
foreign Power. In the main, what the Presi-
at the West deserves high praise. But it is not
creditable to him to say that these outrages are
atraceable to the lawlessness of men not citi-
"zens of the United States engaged in COMPETE
ation with Chinese labOrers." The President
certainly knows that the hostility to Chinese
immigration is not confined to unnaturaized
persons, or even to forei IN. born citizens. His
remarks would have been less open to criticism
had he recognized that fact. AS to the rejec-
ton of Mr.. Kelley the President says that the
withdrawal of his appointment under the cir
cumstances would have involved the "practical
disfranchisement of large class of Citizens
Is it then Acknowledgement, that man may not
be deemed a suitable person TO serve as Minis
ter TO Austria If the Presidents remarks on
this point are not to be censured for dcma-
gOgism, they must be dismissed as almost
childish
What the President says about the reform of
the Civil Service will be conIrasted, not to his
credit, with some of his appointments.
Strongly as he advocates the maintenance Of
nom partisan Civil Service, his warmest friends
confess that some of the appointments which
the influence of his party has led him to make
have been little in harmony with his proclaimed
intentions. 1t must be inferred either that the
Presidents declarations express a purpose
which is not always present in his own mind, or
that the influence of his party is at times with
him so OverpOwering, and is generally so hostile
to the principles of REFORM chat he is made to
appear like the waterman, looking one way
and rowing the other. There is one suspicious
portion of the Message, in which the President
argues that in a time of strong partisan excite
ment, the selection of subOrdinates who are in
sympathy with the appointing power, and the
removal of subordinates not politically in sym
pathy with the appointing power, are necessary
to the efficiency of the service. 1t NAV be that
the President is not aware that this lire of rea-
sOning prepares the way, not merely for de-
feat of all his professions, but for the repeal of
the Civil Service act itself
The President is open to more severe censure
Tor his unreserved approval of the course which |
some members Of his Cabinet have taken. lie |
takes upon himself the responsibility for the /
law-defying conduct of Mr. Villas, with all ils
disastrous consequences to American commerce.
He assumes responsibility for the cruel |
use of the power of great Nation by Mr. |
Whitney, TO crush shipbuilder whose life has
been one of great usefulness to his country. 1t
was hoped that the President would be found
more reasonable III these and other matters
than his subordinates. But iu his recommends
tons. as in theiI acts, there appears leaning
toward change for the sake of change prone
ness to believe that whatever is is wrong, which
does not promise well for the public interests.
The President ought to remember that wise
conservatism is as necessary as a zeal for inI-
provement. He ought not to forget, nor to
suffer his subOrdinates to forget, that the cx-
sting systems and methods were originally
and by long experience have been
ripened and developed, TO prevent great evils,
md to secure great benefits 1t is not safe, be-
cause some evils are found yet remaining, to as
'ume that any change would be for the better
The President does not seem to have duly con-