Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-03-04
wholly Satisfied.

| special QeSpaGcn from w aSnlnSCOn,
giving review of President Cleve-
lands administration based upon con-
versations with the president:
The keynote of Mr.. Cleveland's
policy from the beginning has been
the determination to give the people
a practical, business-like administra-
tion, irrespective of personal consid-
erations. There is probably no Amer
lean in public life who has deeper,
more genuine sympathy with the peo-
pie and there never has been presi-
dent more accessible, or one who sur
rendered so much of his time to graft
ify the natural curiosity and interest
of the bone and sinew of the land in
their chief executive than has Mr..
Cleveland. In conversation with the
writer, he remarked with feeling that
his afternoon receptions, ''hand-
shakes," as he calls them, were the
pleasantest incidents of his official
life. He derives a genuine enjoy
ment from meeting people who come
from every section of the country,
not in search of office or with any
favor to ask, but merely for the sake
Of exchanging pleasant word or two
with the president.
1t may be stated that the president
is thoroughly satisfied with the prac-
tical outcome of his administration
and it's effect upon the fortunes of
the democratic party. He is very
earnest in predicting a great future
for the democracy, and in asserting
his unqualified devotion to the party.
cit is a grand party" said he, "and
never was in better shape than it is
at present. When we consider the
condition it was in before the tariff
issue was formulated, the want of
unanimity, the wide divergence of
views on many points and the hearty,
united support it gave me during the
campaign, who can doubt that its
status has been improved and that it
has glorious future before it,
The president does not tolerate the
idea that the democracy was beaten
on the tariff issue last fall. "Had
certain conditions been eliminated
from the campaign he says, eve
would have won decisive victory"
SO far as he is individually con-
cerned he has no regrets at laying
down his trust He thinks the defeat
of the democracy is to be deplored |
because of the injury resulting to the
public interests, but personally he |
experiences a profound sense of re-
lief at the prospect of speedy release
from the ordeal to which he has been t
exposed during the past four years.
The strain has been so great that DO |
man of less robust health and rugged |
vitality could have withstood it. 1t |
is an open secret that he accepted the |
democratic nomination last summer
with genuine reluctance and after
earnest efforts to escape it. His sup
posed political aspirations for the fu-
ture do not exist. There is no rival
ry on his part between himself and
anybody else. Il am in no ones
way" he says. 81 shall be delighted
to be relieved of the cares of the
presidency. On the 4th of March
next, on purely personal grounds,
there will be no happier man in the
United States
With reference to the civil service
system he is as firm and decided as in
his views on the tariff question. He
believes that civil service reform has
come to stay. He has treated it sole
ly as practical question, and has
been much hampered and embarrass-
ed by the vagaries of sentimental re-
formers and theorists who have been
continually urging him to do this or
that for mere sensational effect, which
he did not regard as judicious. He
has endeavored to give the civil SER
vice scheme fair trial, and express
es himself as fully satisfied with the
results. There may be differences of
opinion as to details, but he thinks
the examinations are, on the whole,
about the best test of merit that can
be devised.
The president is especially gratified
at the effect of his administration on
the prosperity and happiness of the
southern people, both black and
white. He believes in making no
distinctions between any of the sec
tions, and he deprecates strongly the
revival of animosities which were
to be dead and buried. He
is satisfied that the race problem can
be worked out by the people of that
section without outside interference.
The administration, it must be con-
ceded, will go down in history as
unique in the fact that all its mem
bers have pulled together from be-
ginning to end, and no personal jeal-
ousies or resentments have marred
the harmony of its deliberations. Ev-
cry member of it has been hard work
ing, energetic and wholly devoted to
the public interests and every depart
ment presents an enviable record Of
important reforms and economies ac-
complished and of substantial results
in the effort to promote the public
good.
WASHINGTON LETTER.