The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-25
THE HUNT FOR a LIVE ISSUE.

Since ex-Presdent Cleveland was forced to
drop the silver question, about which he adj
mitted thai he had gone wrong, he has been
hunting for an issue. 1t was necessary 10
let the country know that he is still a candi-
date for reelection. Something must be
done, ana he seems to have gone out Of his
way to make a point. He had for many
years ignored Buffalo, his old home. That
city has east heavy majoriiies against MIN.
But tie ether day he went back there to talk
about the extravaganza of tie present Ad
mnjstration. 7 hat was a good subject if
handled rightly. and a very poor one if
handled baily.
In Cieveland's incumbency the large sur
plus in tie Treasury was held to be
menace to the co untry. But very little was
done to reduce This surplus The country
needed money to- Notifications, new navy,
river and harbor Improvements, the erection
Of substantial public buildings for Federal
occupation. The Republican minority offered
to reduce this surplus to the amount Of S6O,-
O0O,05O or more by removing the duty on
sugar and abolishing tie internal revenue
tax on tobacco. Cl-veIapd's supporters op-
posed this reduction. They would have none
oft Whatthey wanted was to remove pro-
lection. The Republicans have now accom-
plished substantially what the Democrats
had refused, aud besides in two years they
have paid S12O, 000,O 600 more Of the public debt
than had been paid IN q CORES spending pc
Tiod Of Cleveland'S Administration. an this
apparently enters into the ex-President's
Indictment Of reckless extravaganza"
Then the Republican Congress appro-
prated SI4O000O for the increase of the
navy beyond tie amount thar bad been ap-
pTopTiated by q Democratic Congress. But
not a snip has been built and not plant
provided, and not dry-dOck planned, that
has not been done TO meet the actual wants
Of the country. Every new ship that is
put afoat is put into commission fer actual
service. The country is demanding more
ships. The money drawn from the surplus
goes into the hands of the people. The
greater part of it is for labor. This idle
surplus is going back to the people. Cleve-
land denOunces this as extravaganza; but
the country is not at present of that opinion.
There is the Post0ffice Department, that
never in the history Of the country was in
so good a condition as at this time. The
growth of the country has required large
expansion Of the postal service. The last
census brought many cities up TO the stand
ara that entitled them to the benefits of the
free delivery system. An increase OF
nearly twenty three millions was necessary
to meet these new demands. Does
the ex-Presdent really think that it is
wicked extravaganza" to enlarge the pos
tai facilities of the country There was also
a material increase Of pension appropria-
tons Tor sick. disabled and poor soldiers
who had fought to preserve the Union. This
item has always invited the charge of
wicked extravaganza" from Cleveland's
supporters Now, this Republican Admin
iStration has been turning the surplus to
good accOunh 1t has resulted in greater
improvements than were brought about by
the last Administration. More ships will be
built, more Notifications improved, more
rivers and harbOrs deepened, greater COM
mercial facilities will be created, and so on.
According to Senator Allison one of the
best financial authorities IN Congress, the
surplus in the Federal Treasury on the 1st
OF July viii be S30,0O0,O0O. That does not
look like the deficiency which Cleveland's
supporters had promised. The surplus Will
be so large that il is proposed to apply con-
siderable part of it to the further reduction
of the public debt President Cleveland
las not been fortunate in framing his iu-
dietment against the Republican Admins
frat