The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-11
A FRIENDLY CRITICISM.
MAKES SOME REMAR!-e
FOR CLEvELAND'S BENEFIT.
What Should Be Done About One OF Two
Matters-A Definition Of the Demo-
cratic Press-Talk on st.
Jackson's Day.

COLUMBUS, Ohio. Jar. 1.-THE Jackson
club of Columbus, the leading Democratic
organization of central Ohio, gave its an
nual banquet Friday evening. There We're
800 guests, including number of Ohio con-
gressmen, members of the legislature, and
state officials The arrangement and service
were complete The Hon. H. j. Booth,
president of the club, was master of cere-
monies and the Hon T. E. Rowell master
of toasts. The following telegram was read
from the Hon s. ]. Tilden:
Cordially concurring with you in the
homage which you propose to pay the mem-
ory of the illustrious soldier-statesman on
the anniversary of the victory of New
Orleans, | regret to say that | can not be
personally present at your banquet to
night"
The Hon. Joseph T. Mcdonald, of lndi-
ana, responded to the toast EtAndrew Jack
son." He reviewed the history of the old
hero, and added that he closed his official
life without rival in the affections of the
people Ex-Governor Hoadly responded
to ''The State OF OhioS and Allen G. Thur
man in avery short speech TO The ConSti-
tuition and the Democracy"
made by Henry Watterson, of The Courier
Journal The toast was .'The Democratic
Press" He characterized it as the friend
against the oppressors, and the law against
usurpers, but said no was forced TO admit
that the heavy artillery of journalism was
yet with the Republicans.
Referring to President Cleveland Mr.
Watterson continued:
'.If | shall before | am done say soma
things of the administration, which, il
seems to me friend ought to say, | must
not be misunderstood. l am its personal
supporter in all thugs personal, AMI its
public partisan also as far as | can a yree
with it. For the president have very
strong feeling of partiality and confidence
But l reject the milk-soppery that because
our Democratic administration is the first
we have had for quarter of a century,
Democrats and the Democratic press must
not freely and fairly discuss it
u think the president has been seriously
misiudged for his alleged tardiness in turn
ing the rascals out" If ever an occupant
of the executive mansion worked conscient-
iously over the appointments he has done
so. Instead of going too fast, he would have
escaped some admitted mistakes if h. had
gone still slower "
He thought, however, that the president
had not learned that there is part of the
United States west of the Alleghsnias:
That he has not learned this | gather
from his message to congress. Upon the
three great questions which the west and
south are concerned in he is either silent,
evGsive or opposed to us. I mean the Mis-
sissippi river, the tariff, and the fiscal policy
of the treasury.
There has never been pTetense among
any class of Democrats that the war tariff
was to outlast the election of Democratic
president, just as there has never been pre-
tense of free trade among any class of Dem
ocratic revenue reformers. All OF us were
agreed that, if we got Che power to origin.
ate concurrent policies Of administration and
legislation, our first use Of it shoald be 6
measure of revenue revision WHICH should
reduce the taxes and reform the abuses OF
the tariff | have no fault to find with any
thing the president says upAl this subject in
his message. 1t is what he fails to say that,
considering the case from all its bearings,
gives me more or less concern and can not
help regretting that he leaves it just where
he found it, and has no views of his own
Il think that, after the show Of hands
which was had last winter on his silver
letter to the New York bankers, the presi-
dent was unwise to throw the weight of his
message so dead against the predictions OF
such a majority of his party in congress
| think that, touching the unlimited coinage
of silver, he is right The weak place il
the presidents position, it seems to me. is
his continuation in the treasury department
of the very policy which the democratic
party has for years condemned in republi,
can administrations-the refusal to obey the
laws of congress i'll their letter and spirit
as they stand upon the statute book. Good
or bad, they ought to be executed Now
one of these laws provides certain method
of getting silver into circulation Another
provides for the representation of silver be
fore the Bimetal or Latin Union, as it i.
called The first of these statutes has re
manned, substantially, a dead letter The sec
ond has always been iiiadequately and
there is reason to believe sometimes treach.
erously, administered by the treasury de
partment The failure of the president tC
reverse Republican precedents and method.
in this regard has raised in the west ant
south genuine scare and storm, bringing
to the front all the passions and anxieties o.
An organic question i'll human experience
that of debts and credits, including, o
course, the national debt and our nationa
banking system. As matters stand, tn.
presidents suggestions will be overwhelmed
IN both houses of congress, and this W,
ought to avert if we can"
Several other short speeches wels mad.
before the assembly adjourned.