The evening world., 1893-09-21
A COyTRhs-.


When Grover Cleveland, at the close
OF his four years administration
In 1889. handed over the Gov
eminent to Benjamin Harrison, there
was large surplus In the
Treasury, the one Hundred Million gold
reserve was intact. and no one dreamed
OF necessity for the issue OF bonds or
the suspension OF gold payments
With the National finances IN this sat
isfnctory condition, with business active,
employment wei supplied and the coun-
Try prosperous, what a splendid oppor-
tvnity was nj the command OF IA political
party holding fun possession of the
, Executive, Legislative and Judicial
branches of the Government,
The economical expenditures that In |
been established through four years OF
| clean administration, and the increasing
Treasury surplus. put IL in the power
OF the Government To at once reduce
taxation and relieve the people of the
heavy burdens they had 80 long borne
| unnecessarily. The confidence of cant
tai. the easy circumstances of the gen
eral people and the healthy condition
OF trade. suggested n wise and liberal
policy OF reciprocity with other nations
and progress and improvement at home.
The efficiency and integrity of the pub
TIC service made easy a practical civil
service reform which would have in
sured capacity and fidelity In all the
branches OF the Government.
How did the Republican party, with
the Presidency. the Senate and the
HOlIga nf
use these advantages, the fruits Of four
years OF honest Democratic administra-
ton?
When Benjamin Harrison, at the close
or his term In 1893, handed over the Gov
eminent to Grover Cleveland, the Treas
ury was bankrupt, every dollar of the
surplus had disappeared the One Hun
dred-Million gold reserve had been en-.
croached upon, a deficiency existed, and
confiscation OF the reserve and an
issue or bonds seemed inevitable.
what different condition the country
was then In to that prevailing In 1889.
Under the peril of National bankruptcy
capital had become alarmed, business
was suspended. labor was thrown into
idieness. the banks closed their vaults.
rear prompted boarding. there was a
currency famine, ard ruin seemed to
stare the nation in the face.
! 0A:: s,Su- ,-t,l
democratic party on the fourth of last
March from the prospect before the
Republican party In 1889 1t had to labor
TO save the country from disaster. in
stead OF enjoying the opportunity to
lead 1t on to prosperity greater than
IL ever reached before. With the Presi-
dency and House OF Representative, in
i's hhhds, nut with meagrc majority
only In the Senate, 1t was called upon
10 STOP the downward career OF busi-
ness and credit, and to avert National
financial ruin.
The Democratic Administration I'M.
not fiinched from the work and thus Ia ,
has done well. But the labor is Heron.
lean. and 1t IL emba rrassed In the most
important step by the unpatriotic action
OF the Senate minority. But II has thus
iar guided the National finances safely
through the troubled waters into which
incapacity. charlatanry and dishonesty
had led them. The reserve has been
protected. no bonds have been Issued
ana the Government has sturdily pro-
CANNED Its determination to maintain
the National honor and credit by gold
payments.
Ihere are yet distractions and diff
cultles In the way of entirely restored
confidence and prosperity, although I'M
der Mr.. Cleveland's wise and firm nd
'''hs'ration nc one can doubt eventual
success. But when the condition of the
country at the close Of Mr.. Claveland's
iirst administration is contrasted with
us condition when MIR. Harrison retired
from office. how farcical 1t appears that
any one should ascrlbe the existing bust
ness and financial troubles to Democratic
success and not to Republican rule.