River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-02-09
sHERmAN's CRITICISM.
cleveland's Message Roasted by Ohio
Famous Senator.

cleveIand's Message Roasted by OhIo's
Famous Senator.
What the scathing criticism of
Blaine left of the Presidents tariff
message was effeetuaIly disposed of by
Senator Sherman in his speech in the
Senate. After referring TO the Presi-
ient's departure from the practice of
his predecessors. dropping from his
message every reference to any other
matter usually touched upon at such
occasions. and anxious TO deliver his
maiden lecture. even emitting the
usual recognition of the Supreme
Ruler of the universe, the Senator en-
tered into a discussion of the surplus
Danger. He pointed out what the
Democratic financial novices do not
seem TO know. that the existence of a
surplus revenue has been constant
occurrence in former as In lat
ter years; while to the President
and his followers such surplus is
nothing but a danger, it has form
erly been regarded as an indication of
the material progress of the country.
Jefferson, jackson and several
Republican Presidents have had
to deal with large SURPRISES.
They have congratulated themselves
upon the fact and have found means of
disposing of it for the best interests
of the country. But neither made it a
pretext for vicious assault on Ameri-
can prosperity. With mastery hand
the great Ohio sinancier has exposed
the insincerity. hollowness and hypoc-
risy Of the Democratic tariff and
financial professions. If they find the
present tariff exorbitant they are
themselves TO Llame for it; they have
had the power, but have done nothing
to relieve the taxpayers, but ho wi.
Ii the administration believes the sur
plus 10 be a danger, why has it not
found means of decreasingi it? Senator
Sherman points out very distinctiyely
the remedies in the hands of the Presi-
dent and the Secretary of the Treasury.
Instead of reducing it, the President
has resorted to various ingenious con-
trivances to swell il. In tn language
of Senator Sherman: Had several APP
preparations. sanctioned by the Sem
ate. been made by the House and APP
proved by the President. and had the
residue of the surplus been applied to
the purchase of the public debt, the
condition of the Treasury. which now
So alarms the President. would not
have existed, the public debt would
have been greatly reduced. and inn
provements of vital Importance
to American commerce would be
in course of construction. The con-
C usion can not be avoided that if evil
should come to the country by this sur
plus it is the fault of the Democratic
party. However. the Presidents mes
sage aims not at the surplus revenue,
but at the American protective system.
The surplus is the mere pretext. 1t
has been demonstrated over and over
again in these columns. and it is ap-
parent to any intelligent observer. that
if it really is the surplus that concerns
the President he could scarcely have
recommended more Ineffective meas
ures than he has done But if he aims
at the system of protection to Ameri-
can labor and enterprise. his message
deserves credit as an ingenious piece
of work.
Senator Sherman's mastery speech
was listened to with unusual and close
attention by members of both sides of
the House. Senator Voorhees, lame
effort in defense of the message fell
ridiculously fiat. The arguments of
the Ohio statesman were of that sort
that can not be met with wordy gener-
alities or partisan arrangements. They
should be carefully considered by every
philosophical citizen. Confronted
as we are by the hypocritical profess
sional and insincere arguments of the
Democratic leaders. a strong, honest
and exhausting matter of fact argu-
ment like Senator Sherman's affords .
great relief Minneapolis Tribune.