New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-13
THE PRESIDENTS RESPONSIBLE

Everybody will be glad to know that the i'll
ness of the President was not serious. On the
instant, when it was said that he was not
WELL men reflected that it might make great
difference to the country if he should be taken
away. For he not only enjoys a larger meas
ure of public confidence than the Nicc-Presi-
dent, as is natural, but he is the one man who,
as people hope, may be able to resist the most
dangerous tendencies of his party. The cOun-
try is not assured that Mr.. Stevenson would
declare the same opinions which Mr.. Cleve-
land holds, or, if he should. that he would be
able to exert an equally salutary influence. Con-
fdence in the President himself, it is only Just
to say, has been to some extent diminished by
the financial events of the last five months.
But it is still generally felt that he is more
likely and better able to resist the evil coun-
sells and purposes of his party than the official
who would succeed him.
Thus the President has the cordial well
wishes of all who appreciate the need of a
sound currency. They most sincerely hope
that he may be in full vigOr of mind and of
body when Congress assemblies. and will exert
all his influence for the public safety. 1t
would be accounted nothing less than public
calamity by the Presidents political opponents,
if not by all his political friends should the
power of the Chief Executive for any cause
be left even for a single day to the official who
would constitutionally assume it in his stead.
The people have strong hopes that, If he does
not succeed in securing legislation that is alto
gether wise, he will at least be willing and
able to stop legislation that is altogether I'M
wise and dangerous.
1t is in this state of feeling toward the Pres
ident that multitudes are watching the efforts
of those who mean to oppose him. The conn
try hopes that he will not be tempted by any
pretended compromise into a sacrifice of the
public safety. Perhaps it is important for him
Just now TO observe that a great part of the
ills and sacrifices which have been predicted
as certain to flow from the steady and faithful
maintenance of the National honor already
come as the result of apprehension that the
National honor may in some way be surren
dered or bartered away. If there is great
shrinkage in credits and the volume of bust
ness, if there are hundreds of establishments
closed and many thousand men ont of employ
ment, if the fear of the future has led many to
withdraw their money from commercial use
sequences of the impression that the wishes
of majority of the Presidents party will in
some way prevail in spite of any resistance
he may be disposed to make.
President Cleveland cannot afford to give the
slightest countenance to any compromise. lie
has nothing to gain thereby, and everything to
lose The country has travelled so far on the
road of liquidation and contraction of credits
that it can infinitely better make an end of
monetary agitation without some new expert
ment Confidence is already so far impaired
that it is not to be restored by half measures.
The least yielding to evil tendencies in the
Presidents party would now destroy his in
fuence Thus the President cannot now afford
to consider the State bank scheme which
would only arouse new apprehension at home
and new dstrust abroad lie cannot afford TO
think of coinage on some new ratio, for the
world has been rapidly educated of late to the
idea that the relation between silver and gold
is not and cannot be determined The New
York Chamber of Commerce has suggested the
wise course, and the President will command
hearty approval if he will secure from Con-
greSs an unconditional repeal of the silver pur-
chasing clause of the act of 1890 with post
ponement of other monetary questions until
the regular session next winter.