The evening world., 1893-11-13
AS WHITNEY SEES IT.
ClevelandS Ex.Secretary of the Navy
Writes of Tuesdays Voting,
TIE RESULT A DEMOCRATIC DEFEAT,
BUT NOT A REPUBLICAN VICTORY.
THE EFFECT WILL BE BENEFICIAL"

To The World request for an expression OF
opinion OH the result of the recent election, ex-
Secretary OF the Navy William c. Whitney has
replied rs follows:
To the Editor Of TIL, World
Last Tuesdays voting was, in my opinion,
ncgutivc--not positive.
The result was Democratic defeat, but not
a Republican triumph. The people had no i'll.
trntion of resembling their emphatic and
well. considered reputation of vicious Repub-
llcan policies. They could not, however, re-
frain from and cannot be blamed for express
ing their dissatisfaction with existing con.
ditions
SO they voted against the party in power.
II is true that the Democratic party was not
responsible for the conditions. But they
existed nevertheless.
The long period of financial depression had
reached and destroyed the prosperity of the
country.
Recuperation had begun, but was not yet &C
complished.
Capital was still timd. Commerce was pros.
trated. Trade was at standstill. Exports
had decreased with imports, Prices were low
and taxes were high. Credits could not be OBJ
tanned. Mills were closed. Money was scarce
Uncounted thousands were idle. The national
Treasury was bankrupt. Discomfort filled the
land.
For score of gears the Republican party had
disregarded the immutable laws of nature, and
having imposed artificial conditions of finance
and taxation upon the country and increased
enormously the burdens of taxation by the
most lavish Government expenditures, had
nh To n bar tlarn
bound TO be great reaction from long pros
pcrity
1t came in the natural order of things in
the interim-after the reversal of policy mad
been decrced and before it had been accom-
plished.
The party to suffer was necessarily the party
in power. 1t had had no opportunity to put In
force new policy and show its beneficial
effect, but discomfort from whatever cause Is
visited naturally upon the party in power.
party be held responsible for its own reverses.
Repeal of the ubiquitous financial law left by
the Republican party upon the statute books
was believed to b, essential to relief, and more
| time was required for the performance OF this
duty than the inpatient country considered
necessary. The delay was exasperating and
harmful and the enactment finally took place
too late to counteract the effect upon the party.
So much for the causes, so far as they were not
| local.
The effect in my view should be, and / be-
| lcve will be, beneficial in result
After such period of distrust as we have
| just experienced, stability in the conditions OF
trade is the first essential OF return to pros
perity. Congress owes it to the country not
only to reform the tariff but to reform 1t a,
once in a conservative and careful spirit, bu,
at once Redemption of all party pledges is nee.
essary. But quick redemption of this Creates
fparty pledges is more than necessary more
| than sound policy. more than wise partisan.
ship. 1t is patriotic duty.
In accordance with the speed and wisdom
with which this duty is discharged will
in my view, be the future of the Democratic
party.
| Nov 10