The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-09-08

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Il @A|eNS once in fou
~ ~ 4 years polite:
&zfM ~ power shall re
' AIiNK turn to the hand
/0E2 of the people
l., &X1 Twenty-six time
.f[|& during the on
l. G hundred AM
three years of our history have tn
American people, in the exercis
of their rights as electors, cast thei
ballots for the candidate of thei
choice for the high office of Presiden
l of the United States. We are now or
the eve of another Presidential elec
I; ton. The responsibility of deter
mining what line of public policy shall
be pursued, and who shall be selected
as chief magistrate, is again upon u.s.
The importance of an intelligent and
conscientious exercise of the privilege
of designing those who are to be en-
trusted with high office, cannot be
overstated.
In the pending struggle for political
supremacy, grave public questions are
at issue. Upon the correct determi-
nation Of these questions through the
peaceful methods prescribed by law,
will depend the welfare of the people.
1t is all important, then, that the de-
termination at the polls be the result,
not of prejudice nor of misrepresenta-
ton, but of honest and intelligent dis
cussion of the issues involved. During
the short time l shall detain you, it
will be my endeavor to suggest some
of the reasons why Mr.. Cleveland
should be elected President, and the
Democratic party restored to power.
The four years administration of Presi-
dent Cleveland was confessedly an
honest administration. None of the
predicted evils of which Democratic
triumph was to be the forerunne1, fol-
lowed his Inauguration. In the cam
paign Of 1884, the people were told by
Republican speakers that Democratic
success would bring blight and ruin
upon the commercial interests of the
country. Those who predicted evil
from Mr.. Cleveland's election proved
false prophets. The Democratic ad-
ministration ending March 4, 1850,
has gone into history as an econom-
ical and able administration of the
government. No scandals attached to
any of its appointments to office.
Under it the rights of all property-of
all sections-of all the people, were
recognized and enforced. Under it
the bonded debt of the Government
was paid at maturity trust funds were
not used to avoid a treasury deficit
and the gold reserve was not menaced
by threats of invasion to meet the cur
rent expenses of the government.
Under that administration no ad-
ditional burdens were laid upon the
people. At the close of President
Cleveland's administration, the sur
plus in the treasury, exclusive of the
gold reserve, was, in round numbers,
millions of dollars. 1t
will be remembered, that during the
latter half of his administration the
question was, what shall be
done with the surplus revenues? in
view of the fact that the annual rev.
enles of the Government were then
one hundred million in excess of its
necessities, the question was one of
practical interest to the American
people.
What is the condition that now con-
fronts US at the end of three and
half years of Republican administra-
ton? On the basis of revenues to the
as estimated by the Sec
retary of the Treasury, for the present
fiscal year, and of the liabilities of the
on account of the annual
and permanent appropriations for the
same period, there will be a deficit Of
fifty-two millions of dollars. Upon
the assumption that the law requiring
forty-eight millions of dollars sor the
sinking fund will be complied with,
there is no escaping the deficiency I
have mentioned. And this, too, not
the fact that the admin
made default in providing for
he sinking fund to an amount exceed
ng eleven millions of dollars during !
he last fiscal year. The bankruptcy
which now threatens the treasury is
he result, first of the enactment of the
tariff law, and, secondly, of
he lavish appropriations of the Fifty
irst Congress.
1t is worse than idle to speak Of its
benefits to the American farmer. {
What he demands is both a foreign S
md a home market for the products
If his farm. 1t is mockery to tell him {
,e is protected against the corn and S
wheat products of the old world.
While he is compelled to sell in the {
open markets of the world, be should a
'e allowed the poor privilege of buy 7
ng what his necessities require with !
,ut paying nigh tribute to the pro-
ected classes of his own country. To
he mechanic and laborer no less than
o the farmer protection has proved
1elusion and snare In no instance I
las it opened to the farmer cad ,