The record-union., 1892-10-25

two great financial crises, brought about
/ BY British speculat;Ons in South Ameri-
can securities, have occurred to disturb
the markets OF the world and TO cause a
stralnlng OF American resources. Einan-
clal questions at home have taken an
acute form and have greatly concerned
large bodies Of the people; an Indian war
was almost precipitated, and, from its
origin, gave horrid promise of being by
| far the worst conflict that has occurred in
the history of the country.
The President has been constantly con-
| fronted with the necessity OF rendering
! decisions and taking actions wherein the
| slightest error of Judgment on his part
might have been attended with the most
serious consequences to the people.
HOW ne has borne himself is matter of
prlde to his countrymen, whatever their
party affiliations. II is almost literally
true to say that he has made no mistakes.
III certainly true that he has been equal
TO every emergency. He was nominated
1our years ago as an available candidate
from a doubtful State as one who had
LED comparatively quiet life with rec
ORD as brave soldier and a safe and sa-
gaclous legislator.
he was renominated because his record
as President had put any other candidacy
out OF the question; because his party de-
pie were more than satisfied with his rec
ord; because he had bravely borne every
responsibility, Sinking never, and do
ing well his duty in the minutest as well
as IN the greatest particular; because his
wisdom, his knowledge of man, his self
reliance, his sturdy common sense, his
conservatism in Judgment and his reso-
luton and directness i'll action had rem
dered his administration OF public affairs
almost Incompatible; had given his party
absolute confidence i'll his leadership and
the country confidence iu his official
| character, and had left his enemies and
the enemies of his party without a word
that they could truthtully utter against
The excellence Of his public work.
President Harrison's respect for the
people, his feeling of safety in relying on
their temperate and WeIl-considered
judgment, and his ability to withstand
all sorts of pressure from partisan and
class interests have at all times distin-
guished his public action. In the charac-
ter OF his appointment to Office he has
displayed a wonderful insight into hu-
man nature.
There are about 10000 offices in the
feueraI Government, over which the
President has absolute control. Many of
these have necessarily to be filled at least
once IN every four years. The President
cannot possibly know all the people he is
called upon to appoint. He must con-
slder their looks, their conversation, the
character OF those who recommend them,
ana tnen he must act on his Judgment and
take the consequences.
In no administration have the execu-
1--WE appointments stood higher test.
This Is especially true ofjudicial appoint-
ments, scarcely one OF which has met
With anything but the commendation OF
the whole country. The bench of the
Federal Judiciary stands to-day much
higher IN the esteem of lawyers and in
the confidence of the people than it stood
Wnen benjamin Harrison took the oath
OF Office.
This is equally true of the diplomatic
service. The United States have been
represented abroad in every case during
the Harrison Administration by men Of
understanding, high character and excel
lent diplomatic ability, and our relations
with foreign Powers to-day are in all cases
improved. The spectacle has not been
presented, as IL was during the Admins
tratlon of Grover Cleveland, of an Aneri-
can Minister whisked about from conn
Try 10 country IN search of a Government
that would consent to receive him.
Though issues with foreign Governments
have arisen lar graver and more numer-
GUS than came up during the Cleveland
Administration, our Representatives have
been found to be men capable of hand
ing them and OF producing a result in all
cases creditable to themselves and satis-
factory to this country.
When President Harrison became Pres
ident he had on his hands the adjustment
OF every diplomatic controversy that
arose during the administration of his
predecessor. Whoever his successor NAV
be he will find the slate absolutely clean.
a comparison of the administration of
foreign affairs under the Cleveland Gov
ernment with that under the Government
OF President Harrison affords striking
illustration OF the difference between Re-
publican and Democratic Governments.
The Republican Government does
things and does them so they do not have
to be done again. The Democratic Gov
ernment wanders aimlessly through mud
and mire, and never seems to know
where to turn to get out.
The record of the several departments
of this Government during the last three
and half years is the record of BENJAMIN
Harrison as President. What thew have
done, he has done. His has been in ali
cases the directing mind
While according to the heads of the de-
partments that respect and authority
which their position and abilities Justify.
the President has never lost sight OF the
fact that he was the responsible head of
the Government, and that in the ultimate.
as he would be the man who would be
called to account for the result he must
do his own thinking.
He has acted in accordance with this
fact, and whether in the matter of foreign
controversies-such as those with Eng
land as to Behring Sea, with Germany as
to Samoa, with Italy as to the New Or
leans affair, and with Chile as to the Bal
tImore outrage-or in matters of domestic
admlnlStratlon-as in the purchase of
bonds and the opening of new lands. the
building of the navy and the treatment of
the Indians, postal reforms and the pre-
sentation of constitutional questions to
the Supreme Court-in these and in all
other affairs of moment, he has taken a
constructive and deciding part