The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-06-15
DEMOCRATIC BLUSTER.

/ 10 VI tuat parry III
being full of inconsistent claims of won
ders performed and big promises of fu-
ture benefits to be derived If the full
Legislative power is put into their hands.
Fortunately the country understands
what Democratic promises are and has
learned by sad experience that complete
decentralization has ensued whenever
the party has secured full reign, so that
there is no immediate danger of voters
responding to the mild request that the
Democrats be given complete control of
the government. In fact, as the plat
form is read in its entirety and the full
meaning considered of its brutal assaults
upon a system which has brought the
country from an impoverishment due to
Democratic rule through safely to
prosperity never equalled in the history
of nations, the sober-minded man who
has the interests of his country at heart
makes mental resolve to assist Democ-
racy, not to full control but to full re-
lease of any of the responsibilities con-
nected with conducting the affairs of the
nation.
No one is surprised at the inconsistent
cies exhibited in Democratic claims of
craftsmanship. The country Is used to
hearing that party claim the honor for
bringing about desirable results which
were really effected despite Democratic
hostility. That party has always fought
desirable legislation suggested by the
Republican party, but when its good
effects we've proved in subsequent re-
suits, Democracy has never lacked the
gall to come smilingly to the front and
claim the lions share of the reward for
etfecting the same. But, while there If
nothing particularly new in Democratic
claims this year, let us see what they
say any way. The platform opens by
inviting an "exacting scrutiny" of the
way Cleveland has fulfilled the trusts
committed to him four years ago. No
one has an idea that it would be credit
able to Democracy to take the policy at its
word in this respect. The very slightest
scrutiny would develop the fact that
scarcely pledge made by Cleveland in
his many long winded promises stands
to-day unviolated. 1t is an insult to the
intelligence of the American voters for
Democracy to claim to have lived up to
its promises in regard to the various re-
forms which the country heard 80 much
of four years ago. Speaking of the finan-
cial achievements of the administration
the platform says:
During most critical period of our f.
nancial affairs, resulting from over taxa
| ton, the anomalous condition of our cur
rency, and public debt unmatured, it
has, by the adoption of a wise and con-
sentative course, not only averted disas-
ter, but greatly promoted the prosperity
of the people.
There has been no "critical period"
which would have worried party with
any dcgroe of financial ability. The
President undertook to create panic
by writing message with startling re-
ferences to the evils of the surplus which
the Republican party turned over when
it left the control of affairs. Had Mr..
Cleveland and his cabinet had to deal
with an impoverished treasury, a ruined
credit and situation such as the Demo-
cratic party left as its legacy when
kicked out by an indignant popular sem
timent twenty-five years ago, it might
have been in better grace for that party
to ring in something about "critical
period" All the administration had to
do was to carry out Intellgently the
policy adopted by former Republican
officers, and any evil which has resulted
has come from lack of ability to prop
erly follow the examples set by former
ministers of finance who were not nov
ices at the business.
| Of course the proneness of Democracy
to demagogy had to be INDUCED in a
claim that the Cleveland administration
has "paid out more for pensions and
bounties to the soldiers and sailors Of
the republic than was ever paid before
during an equal period" The platform
does not explain that the money was
paid out by the provisions of legislation
passed by Republicans In spite of the
aggressive opposition of the Democratic
party and its solid Southern brlgadiers.
Nor do we see a reference to that other
feather in the cap of Cleveland of veto
ing more pension bills for the relief of
disabled veterans than all his Republi-
can predecessors. Common decency
should have prompted the Democrats
to be quiet on the question of pensions
after the record made by Cleveland in
ridiculing the injuries of gallant boys in
blue; but that is an element not plenty
in the composition of Democracy.
The assurance with which the platform
lspeaks of the "honest civil service re-
form" which the administration has car
ried out would not be surprising were it
not for the subsequent claim that the
public service has been brought to the
"highest standard of efficiency" "Hon-
est civil service REFORM" as everybody
but deluded Mugwumps understand,
means the removal of every Republican
office holder, no matter what his effic-
liency, if his place is needed to satisfy
the hunger of some Democratic politi-
cal striker. But the claim that the pub
lie service has been improved in effic-
iency during the past three years is an
other insult to the intelligence of the
American people. Every branch of the
public service has been openly prosti-
tuted to the work of making Boss
Cleveland's denomination certain. Po-
litical heelers whose only ability lies in
controlling a ward caucus have been put
in the places of tried and experienced
officials and the result is total demorali-
zation. The postal service, that branch
of public business which comes nearest
to the people, affords the most striking
proof of the mismanagement which ex-
lists to-day, and there is not a business
man and few private citizens who do not
know that the postal service of the coun
try has been dragged down in three
short years from high standard of ex-
cellence to condition decentralization
which is disgraceful.
The platform closes with long de-
nunciation ofthe tariff laws of the Repub-
lican party under which the country
has prospered SO magnificently. We
shall not refer at length to this portion
of the platform in this article. 1t will
only be said that most brutal assault
is made upon one of the most benificent
policies which any country in the world