New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-12
THE FIRST HALE YER.

ANY President if judged by the first half
wear of his administration, is liable to be mis-
Judged. 1t is the hope Of his adversaries that,
being thus prematurely judged, President Har-
rson will be met with popular censure in the
elections this fall. Much of the Democratic
hopefuness is assumed, but some is real, and
in more than one State that party is hoping for
substantial gains as the result of supposed Re-
publican dissatisfaction. The President who
can please everybody has not been born. But
a careful survey Of the entire field justifies
belief that the elections this fall will help
rather than hurt the party now in power.
The party is undoubtedly aided by the gen
eral prosperity Of industries and of trade, and
in some parts of the country the change has
been marked. Labor is almost everywhere
more fully employed than usual, and at wages
better on the whole than were paid last year or
the year before. In some kinds of manuiact
ure there has been no improvement, but these
are conspicuously exceptional. Even in the
woollen manufacture it is safe to infer from
sales of material and prices paid that more
goods are being made and more hands are at
work than year ago. Farming has been pros
porous, the rapid development of the South
continues, and building in most of the clueS
gives evidence Of industrial progress, and OF
greater demand for comfortable homes. All
these things mean that those who complain on
account of hard times, whether reasonably or
unreasonably, are just now in the minority.
President Harrison has not labored to please
politicians and the usual proportion OF them
is discontented But he is a rash man who
II loot +bn vote nf
country are displeased. BY far the most pop
ular part of President Cleveland's admnistra-
ton was that in which he seemed inclined to
keep the politicians of his party at arms
length, and thus encouraged confidence that,
with more experience and larger knowledge,
he would Use his opportunities for the public
good Had he never dispelled the impression
thus begun, bunders in appointments and
gross errors in public policy would have done
him less harm. Thus far the impression pro-
dced by President Harrson's administration
has been decidedly satisfactory to the great
BODY of voters who seek no office. They have
seen unusual independence of character,
anxiety to act wisely and rightly, and painstak
ing fidelity in the conduct of affairs thus far,
and have noted that the Presidents appoint
mentS, while not entirely free from errors of
information or judgment, have been marked by
fewer errors than usual during a Presidents
first and most difficult half year. If the cleo
tons this fall should be determined by the
public impression regarding the Administration
thus far, the result would doubtless be highly
favorable.
Local questions and divisions usually play
large part in the first elections after Presi-
dents Inauguration, and may be expected to
have much influence this fall. But the Demo-
cratic party has at least as many quarrels and
sore spots Of it's own to take care Of and to
keep out of harms way as any other in recent
years. Mr.. Cleveland has friends who remem-
Der Governor Hill without gratitude. In al
most every State he has enemies, who do not
forget the party despotism by which his NOM
ination was forced. The men he favored and
pushed forward will have to defend themselves
without the aid of patronage Those whom
he slaughtered in carrying out his policy are
now the stronger because that policy brought
his party to defeat. But among Republicans
the influence of the Administration has been
c0nspicuously exerted to terminate party quar-
rels in several States. In brief hopes Of Dem
ocratic victory that are based upon Republican
discussions have small visible foundation this
year.