The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-06-22
WHAT THEY STAND UPON.

The Democratic party has made no record
under the Cleveland administration thus far
upon which to 20 before the people as proof
of Its fitness or capacity.to be trusted with
continuance Of power. Cleveland's purpose
In securing Q surplus In the treasury
as an excuse for q war upon the tariff in the
interest of the British Golden club contrib
uters to his campaign funds, has been thor
oughly exposed and its criminal wickedness
will be made equally plain when the peoples
attention is called more fully to the fact that
there are S2S0.0o9Oo0 OF our AZ per cent. bonds
due In 1890, which, should the surplus increase
at the rate of the past year, about Sco000,0O0
annually, would fall short OF meeting the de-
mand by $5o,0o0o00. The manner In which
this surplus hasbeen secured is as disgraceful
to the administration as the purpose for
which 1t has been boarded. A penay saved
from the pension OF some old soldiers widow,
others vetoed, an Unrestricted use OF the veto
on the most fiimsy excuse, the most niggardly
appropriations for the support of soldiers in
the West, pocket yetoes OF important river
and harbor improvements; the lightest posi-
bic appropriations for the navy, the base, in-
uman treatment of John Roach and despotic
seizure of his plant by Cleveland's secretary
Of the navy; his total Indifference to our
coast defences on the seas and lakes, 80 earn
his last interview with Cleveland, while the
British government Is spending millions in
fOrtifyinR her share Of the Pacific coast.
direction of the administration, but fearful
landmarks that show where the Cleveland adj
mlnistration ID sailing the old ship of state
Inc cowardly, siekening policy which has
ment OF the fishery question and the oEe-
sighted treaty Cleveland would force the u. s.
Senate to ratify-a treaty where every de-
m q m n 10 I'D
and America gets nothing. Britain may pass
free into and through American waters but
the Welland canal Is closed to merchant mar
inc on our lakes except upon payment of ex-
tortionate tolls. These are only additional
proofs of the weakness of the Cleveland adj
minlstration. or its settled purpose to manage
BILE to secure to Cleveland end his followers
the favor and confidence of the British gov
eminent, even at sacrifice OF just claims of
soldiers too often exhibited in sneering com
ments, his repeated violation of pledges TO the
people, his dictatoral management OF his
supporters of the Buchanan administration
and one of the bitterest copperheads of the
city of Columbus, who was charged with aid
ing rebel officers confined therein to keep up
communication with the rebel government,
and who was refused after the discovery of
his treachery, admission to the rebel c amp,in
preference to q loyal soldier in our days of
trial, to be tail to his kite to wag him once
more to victory, is not billiant record upon
which to 20 before the people for a reelection
"a campaign in which loyalty to the country,
in the days of our struggle with Democratic
traitors for National existence, and now when
our home Industries are again threatened for
British benefit by the same parties who then
threatened the Union, is to count lar more
than it did four years ago. In all this record
is therefore single point that ought to elicit
or can elicit a spark of natural pride in the
hearts of true and loyal citizens Of the United
States? Nothing of which the Democratic
party should be proud, but is the only record
the Cleveland administration has made during
the past three years and that with the anarch-
list flag, Thurman's old red bandana, all the
Cleveland Democracy has to stand upon, and
upon that record they are now appealing to
the American people for their promises to go
on from bad to worse. SIS