New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-30
THE ADNINISTRAT TON TRIED.

There has been much talk in Democratic
circles about the help given to the Republican
party. or to the President personally, by the
difficulty with Chill and its satisfactory results.
In this as in other matters, the Administration
has sought no favor except by serving the in
terests of the country as well as it could. If
the country has gained in this matter, as it
doubtless has. in dignity and honor and in the
respect OF other nations, credit IS due to the
Administration only as it is entitled to credit
for faithful and earnest performance of public
duty in every department.
Public attention has been drawn especially
to the Navy Department by this affair 1t has
been found that the Nation was not unready for
emergencies, even that branch Of the public
service which was incOnteStably extremely weak
three years ago. For many years Democratic
majOritics in the House had refused the appro-
priations necessary for the reconstruction OF the
Navy. That branch of the public service had
become by far the weakest, as respects ability
to meet sudden needs. Criticism Of the acton
or refusal to act of the Democratic House III
successive Congresses is not here essential; eX-
cuses were given which the public in 1SSS
Judged TO be rather partisan than patriotic. The
fact remains that the service in this branch was
strangely crippled, and when Mr. Cleveland
came in as a Democratic President, he felt COM
PEELED by public duty to urge a reconstruction
of the Navy which Republican Presidents had
constantly advocated for many years.
In this Department, which was Of all others
the weakest, the Nation has Shown that 1t was
ready for an emergency. Not much has been
said of the measures taken for defence Of the
seaportS, and it is enough now to say that they
we're not lacking But if this least ready of all
the departments Of the public service was found
in UNEXPECTEDLY good condition, what shall be
said Of Others ? 1t is an open secret that hun
drod thousand soldiers, nearly all veterans, could
| have been enlisted for service in Chill or in any
| other just controversy within single week.
In month the number could have been almost
indefinitely increased, so that tho only question
would have been one Of transportation for the
men and their supplies to any scene of action.
Before any foreign force whatever could have
been landed on this coast, a far more powerful
force could have been ready to meet it.
All this occurred when the Treasury had re-
Gently been called bankrupt by partisans. But
all the world knows that the United States could
have raised in the shortest possible time any
sum OF money icSulul. III WOuIu nave DccH Ulct
as literally and readily as the Government Of
any other nation, Great Britain not excepted,
had there been occasion to raise a hundred or a
thousand millions quickly for the Nations de-
fence. The very men who have chartered most
foolishly of the unwisdOm of the President and
his Cabinet would have been among the fore
most TO subscribe, for themselves and their for
eign associates to airy loan the Government
might have asked.
TO all true Americans it is most gratifying
thing that no war was necessary. Next to that
it is gratifying that every branch of the public
service in its turn was found ready and rightly
manned for any strain whatever. 1t is not
necessary hero to 60 into details. Those Demo
| Gratis who have had official occasion to know
| most Of the operations Of the Government within
| the last three months would not be slow TO
testify, if there were need, that they found album
dant ability and patriotism at the helm, where
there was a call for either