The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-09-30
senator Harrison's Review of
the Administrators Blum
dering Course.
Arrangement of the Party Which Has
Demonstrated Its Inability to Do
Anything Right.
Speech of Hon. Ben Harrison, of Indiana,
Delivered at Indianapolis, Wednes-
day, Sept. Is.

granted by many that because neither Presi-
oent nor Governor is to be elected, the election
ana It's results are Of small importance. Tins
IS not true. The House of Representatives OF
tne t1ftieth Congress is To be chosen, and the
f1ity-ffth General Assembly of the State OF
inuiana. The men who are TO be the admins
traitors OF those vast sums OF money collected
from the people for local and State uses are also
70 be selected. The interests involved are great,
and should enlist the active and intelligent in
terests OF every voter An of year, indeed, has
this adyantage-it is favorable to quiet discus
sion and free thought-local interests and issues
are not overshadowed. The voter is not stain-
peded by brass bands, bonfires, and torchlight
PROFESSIONS. What l shall say tonight and
throughout the campaign will be addressed to
the judgment, and not to the passions, OF men,
What shall say of individuals will have rela-
ton solely to their public acts what shall
say upon public questions will DO spoken in a
spirit OF liberation toward those who hold other
views.
In the brief remarks submitted by me at our
recent State convention. said that for twenty,
nye years the Democratic party has in national
Affairs been party OF promises and preten-
sions, of criticism and obstruction. II has ap-
pealed to the country, not upon the basis OF
things done-it begged for oblivion as To these
but of things to be done. For the first time
since the weak and atfrghted Buchanan laid
down executive control, we are in a position TO
contrast Democratic promises with Democratic
performances in the executive branch OF the
Government. In the campaign of 1854 1t was
charged by Democratic leaders that the hePup-
Mean party had become corrupt, and had in
certain important particulars, mismanaged
public affairs.
DEMOCRATIC PROMISES.
do not think we can open this campaign
more profitably than by carefully comparing
the Democratic professions and promises OF the
last campaign with the performances OF Presi-
dent Cleveland and the Democratic majority in
the House of Representatives On the LIST day OF
September, 1884, the Democratic campaign was
opened at Indianapolis by speech from Hon
Thomas A. Hendricks, the candidate of his
party for the Vice Presidency He has since
lQ IN est in
imposing honOrs. His party mourn III his death
an acknowledged leader His utterances, there
fore, may be accepted as an authoritative ex-
preston of the complaints urged against Re-
publican administration, and OF the reforms TO
which his party stood pledged. Mr.. Hendricks
said
I'm a speech recently made at Richmond Mr.
Calkins, the candidate for Governor, Boosting
OF the achievements of his party, made the
statement, which adopt without examination,
that the Republican party found an empty
Treasury and now il has "A surplus OF four hun
dred millions. That said Mr. Hendricks, is
an enormous sum Of money-more, L believe,
than half the paper currency OF the country.
Estimating os population at fifty millions, it is
80 for each man, woman. and child That great
sum of money lies idle in the Treasury. II it
had been left with the people it would become
the willing and active servant OF labor ii would
stimulate and strengthen old, and develop new
industries it would restore to the merchant
his market, and give the farmer good prices
again.
er stated. or meant To state, tnut tnere was Il
surplus in the treasury OF four hundred mill
ions He spoke in round numbers of all the
funds in the treasury. But appeal to friends
in both parties whether the most potential
charge against the Republican party in that
campaign not that there had been accumu-
lated in the treasury a large and needless sur
plus, the boarding of which exercised depress-
ing influence upon the business of the country.
The suggestion that this so-called surplus
amounted TO 50 per capita of our population was
SO cunningly used by some INSCRIPTIONS ora
mrs a In excite pXngctatiOn nli IL
ton upon that basis would be promptly made
the moment the treasury passed under Demo-
cratic control II ever patty was distinctly
and soleInnly pledged to any public duty, if ev-
er q trust accepted upon condition. the
Democratic party was pledged by its leaders
in the West to reduce the surplus in the treas
On the 4th day of March 1885, Grover Cleve-
land, himself New-Yorker and imbued with
the most extreme New York views of finance,
appointed as his Secretary of the Treasury Hon.
Daniel Manning, and Treasurer Hon. Thos.
Jordan, both, also, of New York. Both of these
gentlemen came to the exercise OF their public
duties from behind the counters of national
banks. do not say this to their prejudice, but
much has been said by Indiana Democrats, and
is already being repeated in this campaign,
about Republican "subserviency 20 the money
power" and yet the latest platform expression
OF that party Endorses the administration.
must suppose they like this feature OF it, and |
mention il for their ediication. The law in
force when President Cleveland was inaugural
ed, and still in force, relating 70 the surplus was
@The secretary of the Treasury may at any
time apply the surplus money in the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated, or so much thereof
as he may consider proper, TO the purchase OF
redemption of the United States bonds"
Under this law the Treasury had been ad-
mnistered by Republican Secretaries 1t will
be noted that the discretion vested in the Sec
rotary is unrestricted. Secretary Manning was
therefore at liberty at once, by large and re
peated bond calls, to pay out and put into the
oh trade
dollar in the Treasury. 1t is certain that the
Democrats OF Indiana and OF the entire West
regarded the administration as pledged TO this
duty must believe that they still think that
the policy of boarding large surplus, not need
ed to meet the current obligations of the Gov
eminent, to preserve its credit, Is n bad
policy, and one that tends to cripple the indus
tries OF the country. And Yet the policy of this
administration has been steadily and very
largely to increase this surplus, and the Demo
cratic leaders OF Indiana have in their
platform this year asked the honest and
thinking voters Of the State TO indorse
that policy. Is it possible that these leaders
suppose that the people have forgotten their
pledge TO distribute this surplus, made only two
years ago? In 1881, Republican Secretary of
eminent bonds; in 1882, Sl73,0OO, 900; in 1888
$50 600 OOO and in 1884, over $4,000, whereas, in
the first sixteen months of President Cleve-
lands administration only SS,l33OO OF the
public debt was paid. The average payment
Tor the last four years by Republican Secretaries
of the Treasury was Sl53,OOeOOO every sixteen
time by Secretary Manning. The Treasury
statement shows that on July /, 1886, the total
cash in the Treasury was S492, 0l7, l73 "a, OF
nearly S100,000,OO0 more than the amount as
sumed by Mr. Hendricks to be in the Treasury
In September, 1884. The form of the monthly
Treasury statement changed by Mr.. Jor
dan and comparison with the former state
ments cannot be made without understanding
two or three things. In the new form OF state
ment the fractional silver, now nearly $4,000
600 is not counted, as formerly, as a part of the
available cash on hand and the daily interest
upon the whole debt is charged up each day
against the cash on hand, which was
not done before. 1t must also be remem
bered that the surplus is to be ascer
tanned by first deducting all funds held fol
specific uses The Morrison resolution express
Nv recognized that in addition TO the other large
sums held for such uses, 500 200, 900 was to be
held as a redemption fund for the greenbacks
Now upon this basis the surplus in the Treas
ury available for the payment of bonds was, on
Dec l. 1884-the first statement after Mr.. Cleye
lands election-Sl0, 100000. Not desiring 70 EN-
barrass the incoming administration. the sur
plus was allowed by President Arthur TO in
crease and when Mr.. Cleveland was naugurateC
had reached S20.0O0,OO0. But this surplus wa.
not thought by Secretary Manning TO be enough
Bond calls were suspended until December
1885 when n call for $40 900, payable In Feb
ruary, 1856 was made At that time the sur
Mus In the Treasury had increased to $50, 600
and ON Aug l last this enormous suplus was
stiIl maintained-the bond calls made not beins
sufficient TO make any inroad upon IL. Mr.
Warner Of OHIO, Democrat. said i'm the House