The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-16
MR.. oLEyBLANp,s ALLEGED REFORMS.

-
Notwithstanding Mr.. Cleveland's re-
fusal to reappoint ex- o~tiiceholders, there
by making the personal part of this ad-
ministration entirely different from that
of his former one, there is re ason TO be-
lieye that this administration will be
very much like the other. When the
Democrats came into power eight years
ago they were going to reform every
thing. Their campaign cries had been
"open the books and turn the rascals
out" They were going to expose rot
tenness in every branch of the govern
ment, immense defalcations In the
treasury and corruption everywhere.
They were going to replace the dishon-
est officials who had been robbIng the
government with honest and competent
men who would regard public Office as
a public trust, restore the administration
of the government to its original
purity, and all that sort of thing.
These promises ended in wind. When
| they opened the books they found every
thing perfectly straight. and instead of
startling the country with astounding
disclosures they found there was moth
ing to disclose. Not q cent was missing
in the treasury. The affairs of every
bureau in every department we're found
TO be in perfect order, and there was
nothing to reform. Republican officials
were turned out, not because they were
r~ascals, but because they were Repub-
licans, and the Offices were filed with
men who, to say the least. were no inn
provement on their predecessors. The
promised improvements in administra-
ton never came, and at the end of four
years the people discarded the party of
false promises and sham reforms and
put the Republicans in power again.
The present administration is starting
out In the same way. Scarcely "a day
passes that the country is not informed
of something that Mr.. Cleveland is GO
ing to rectify, reform, improve or abol-
ish. His admirers say he has grown
and broadened intellectually since he
went out of Office. that he is in a position
to profit by his former experience, Int
that he is going to do this, that and the
other thing which will surely inure to
the benefit of the people.
The latest announcement in this line,
sent as a press dispatch from Wash
ington, is that Me-. Cleveland has "de-
cided upon a line of policy to be pur-
sued in the appointment of consuls
which is expected to materially expand
the trade of the United States with
foreign countries, especially with the
South and Central American republics"
This new policy is to appoint persons
to foreign consulships "who have ex-
ceptional business qualifications, and
possess sufficient trade instinct to recog-
nize an outlet for American m%erchan-
disc, and the ability to aid in working
up q market for the product of Amer
lean manufactures and FARMS" In
other words. Mr.. Cleveland's new policy
is to appoint competent men as consuls
and instruct them to look out for the in
terests of American trade. This an
nouncement is made as if the proposed
policy were something entirely new and
original, and as if Mr.. Cleveland de-
served great credit for his vigilant over
sight of American interests. By impli-
cation, also, it seeks to convey the
impression that heretofore no regard
has been had for the business qualifica-
tions of c~onsuls, and that they have paid
no attention to the interests of American
trade.
Nothing could be further from the
truth than the assumption which under
lies this announcement. During the
long period that the Republican party
controlled the government constant
pains were taken to make the consular
service what it should be. When the
Republicans came into power it was
simply a haven for political pets; when
they went out it was an efficient busi-
ness machine. Under Republican adj
ministrations efficient consuls were re-
tanned in Office many years and were
often transferred from one post to an
other more important. In 1876 special
instructions were issued to cOnsuls to
make every possible effort to extend
and promote American trade. About
this time. OF before. was instituted the
system of consular reports, and if Mr..
Cleveland will inquire at the State De-
partment he will find that 14S volumes
of these reports have been issued, each
volume containing reports on commerce.
manufactures. etc., from American con-
suls in various parts Of the world.
These reports embrace every conceiv-
able subject that could interest Ameri-
can producers. manufacturers and ship
pers. The last volume issued contains
thirty-five reports from as many diff
ferent consuls in widely separated por-
lions of the globe on a great variety of
subjects relating to trade and commerce.
1t is probable that every one of the 148
volumes contains as many reports as
this one. The complete set of publica-
tons is an almost i~nexhaustible mine of
practical information. They were be-
gun under a Republican administration
nearly twenty years ago, and have been
continued ever since. 1t is plain, there
fore, that the insinuation that the con-
sular service under former administra-
tions has not been conducted on business
principles rests on no foundation. Mr..
C1avelapd,s pronosed Uuew policvr il n