Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-10-19
The Trick OF n "Plain, Simple Man."

thcago lffbune-
The New York Evening Post recently
described the President as "a plain.
simple honest man, doing his duty in
Washington and giving no heed to polti-
cal combinations or partisan campaign
ing The recent communication To
Congress of the individual thus described
betrays an interest in personal politics
and devotion to the duty Of re- electing
Grover Cleveland which will be apt to
shock the sensibilities of the Post. -
The communication from the President
asking for additional authority from Con
gress TO enforce the retaliation legislation
OF the last Congress is a canning and
adroit electioneering device and move
in the direction of practical politics of
the most clap-trap kind. He neither
wants additional powers nor would he
exercise them il he had them. e He knows
that he is not likely to get them. but II is
clearly within the possibilities for him to
keep up the clamor until election time
with the hope of getting votes which his
pro British policy has alenated from him.
The arguments of Democratic Senators.
pending the discussion of the fisheries
treaty, were all in the same direction.
Broad hints were thrown out that the re-
lection of the treaty would mean war
with England. and Senator Morgan. of
Alabama, its special champion, waxed
eloquent in describing the patriotism
which the South would show in that
event The purpose In view, however. is
too transparent 10 deceive anyone by this
sudden desire OF the President TO be
thorough in retaliation. The bill intro
duced by Mr. Wilson, OF Minnesota fol-
lowed his communication altogether too
promptly. The haste in this case is sus'
picious. The eagerness of the President
TO begin twisting the tail OF the British
lion is too sudden to be genuine 1t will
not have the effect he anticipates. 80
; The President has had ample authority
in his hands, given to him by both Houses
Of Congress. more than ayear ago, TO APP
ply retaliation in kind. There were
several occasions last summer when il
was cmInently proper for him to have APP
piled il. hut he failed to do it. Mean
while the outrages continued, and the
only action he took in the premises was
to appoint a commission, in defiance of
the expressed wishes of the Senate, TO
negotiate a treaty which was a concession
of every right belonging to us to Canada.
If the situation last summer did not war
rant him in laying an embargo upon
Canadian interests. the SITUATION TINS
summer does not If, on the other hand,
the rejection of the treaty has so changed
the situation and endangered the inter
ests of our fishermen that retaliation is
necessary, he has ample power in his
hands when the first Outrages occur TO
put stop to them most eifectually by
the privileges from Canadian
vessels in our ports which are refused to
our vessels in Canadian ports, and if this
be not sufficient he has the power to go
still further and effect a salutary degree
Of non-intercourse. which will accomplish
the end in view. There is nothing in the |
that warrants his investment
with any additional or extraordinary
power beyond what he already possesses,
and the Senate may be relied upon to
squelch the political trickery of the
plain, simple man" as effeciDally as it
squelcbed his pro British treaty. Il