New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-14
-----------.------------
THE PARTY. NOT THE MN.

4
There were thousands Of good citizens in
that he would be found better than his party
| He was represented as man Of strong and
fixed convictions, unusually independent OF
politicians able to mark out a course for him
self regardless Of the prejudices or deeply
rooted tendencies OF his party, and strong
enough to hold to that course with such tenacity
as to shape the entire administration of the
| Government. 1t is not needful here to con-
slider whether these expectations were reason
able. But the citizens who sincerely INDUCED
them and who consequently voted for Mr..
Cleveland in the belief that he, and not the
Democratic party, would govern the country if
he should be elected, owe it to themselves and
their fellow-citzens to ask how far their ex-
pectations have been justified.
Mr.. Cleveland was especially expected to
reform the Civil Service, to manifest indie
pendence of his party in his appointments and
in his enforcement of the Civil Service act. Is
it now the opinion of single one Of his in
telgent supporters that in this respect he has
met their expectations Do we not hear the
more candid Of them now saying in effect ::
"Our expectations were unreasonable and alb
surd we now see, as we did not, that the ire
mendous force of party organization and In
fuence is far too great 90 be resisted by any
President who must depend upon his party for
power to carry out any purpose, in Congress or
elsewhere, and for every hope of denomination
and reelection? Do not these men feel that
Mr.. Cleveland has in fact done just what they
believed he would not do; that he has virtually
turned over to partisan managers the selection
of officials and the administration of the law :?
Have they not read, without any effort to an
swer it, the crushing disclosure of the Presi-
dents errors in selection of officials, and Of
his substantial surrender at every disputed
point to the dominant influences in his party
These are not the only subjects on which his
course may be criticised with the same reason.
In management Of the finances and the cur
rency, in regard to appropriations for improve
ments and foreign mail service, in the conduct
Of foreign affairs and in the neglect to defend
American rights in his treatment Of the Chi
nese question, in the selection of officials to en-
force election laws at the South, and in other
matters of large importance, the conduct Of the
President has finally come to be that which the
temper and the supposed interests of his party
dictated without regard to his previous con-
tctions or declarations. But on the one chief
issue Of the campaign, the tariff question, this
disregard of personal assurances before the
election, this surrender to the predomi mating
force within his party, has been especially COM
plete.
Mr. Cleveland gave deliberate assurance, in
order to secure an election, that under his adj
ministration the tariff question should be treat
ed with strict regard to the needs of American
industries and the interests of the workingmen
Undoubtedly he then meant TO pursue pru-
dent and moderate course. But the extreme
Free Traders gained his ear and his conf
dence. Into mind curiously ill-informed they
poured their specious theory that the way to
promote American industry was TO buy raw
materials abroad because there they could be
bought most cheaply. They persuaded him
that denomination and reelection depended
upon adoption of their views, upon unrescrved
championship of their course, upon taking the
leadership himself of the great popular move
ment, as it was represented for tariff reform
The result has been the Inauguration Of free
trade crusade against the policy under which
the country has prospered marvelously for
twenty-seven years. The measure proposed by
the Presidents supporters, and strongly sup
ported by him with open use Of his patronage
and his official power, is the most violent and
radical change of the tariff ever proposed by
any political party, and a change more violent
and radical than any party ever has made. The
reduction of duties in 1888 was gradual, ex-
tending over several years. Tie reduction in
1916 was not more than one-sixth OF the az
gregate duties collected. In 1857 the reduc-
ton was even smaller. But the Mills bill
would cut off at a single stroke more than
81 g, 100000 of customs revenue out of
S212 100000, or nearly one-quarter, and
would establish absolute free trade for products
Of several hundred industries.
Thus the question has come to be distinctly
this. whether the country means to be governed
hereafter by the worst and most dangerous
tendencies of the Democratic party. Men have
come to see that Mr.. Cleveland by himself
nothing and means nothing, save as
he is the instrument Of that same Southern
oligarchy which misgoverned the country so
long, which forced upon II pro-slavery and
sectional policy, and which sought to destroy
the Government when it could no longer con-
troll it.