Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-03-17
esstS County 9trala.
ISLAND POND. M4RcHf5 1898.
PRESIDENT HIRRIsoyS TERM

intentioned, its place will be as
creditable a one as its record is
honorable. The work OF the
executive department under Mr..
Harrison's guiding hand has
been progressive the administra-
ton has not had any question OF
the very highest class to handle,
but there have been many which
were important to the nation,
and which were disposed of in 4
manner creditablc to the Chief
Executive and honorable to the
nation.
The chief matters coming up
during the Harrison administra-
ton which had an. international
scope were the Pan,American
Congress; the passage of the re
ciprocity clauses Of the new tar
if law; the negotiation of reclp-
rocal trade relations hereunder
with a number ofother countries,
and the passage of the postal
subsidy law and the lnman line
coming under the American flag.
Among the purely diplomatic
matters OF moment may be men
toned the creditablc settlement
of the Chilean affair, the trouble
with Italy over the New Orleans
massacre, the international mon
etary conference, and the arbi-
tration Of the Boring Sea matter
which was arranged for
although the tribunal has net
vet assembled. In all of these
the administration maintained q
selt-rcspecting attitude, without
buster or bravado, and evinccd
a sincere desire for a fair and hon
orablc settlcment-whiCh result
was achieved in all but the Der
ing Sea matter, which has not
yet reached a decision.
In regard to purely domestic
matters engaging the attention
of the administration, its course
was broad and liberal, patriotic
and Republican. 1t took the sur
plus lying in the Treasury vaults,
used it to pay and retire bonds,
thus reducing the nations debt
and the interest burden. 1t re-
duced the revenues over $50, OOO,,
600 year, so as to prevent the
accumulation of further surplus
in fulhllment OF the promise OF
the platform OF 1883. Under its
wise management, our foreign
commerce reached a greater vol
ume than ever before, with q
heavy balance of trade in our
favor. In all that makes for the
best interests ofthe people of the
country, the Harrison admins.
tration achieved confidence at
home and respect abroad.
AS for President Harrison him.
self he proved himself a wise and
conservative President and q
statesman i'll the truer sense OF
the word. No man can put his
finger on one official act Of his
and say it was rash or unncccs
sary, There are certain personal
characteristics, however, which
caused Mr.. Harrison to make enc
mics in the ranks of his own
party. 1t is to be remembered
that James G, Blaine was over,
whelmingly the choice ofthe rank
and file of the party for the can
didate in 1888, and was com
PEELED to interfere to prevent his
own nomination. Mr.. Harrison
was thus handicapped in being {
second choice. Hence he had not
the strong, enthusiastic support
of the masses of the party, whe1
he stood out, as every self-respect
ing President must do, agains'
party leaders who clamor 70,
patronage to subserve their per
sonal ambitions, rather than tn
best interests of the people anC
the party. The party rank ant
file were indifferent to him
Again, considering the circum
stances under which he received
the nomination in 1888, Mr.
Harrison would have been wis
to be satisfied with one term
His candidacy for a second nom
nation, and the manner of it
achievement, rendered defeat a,
most certain from that fatefu
afternoon at Minneapolis O
which he was renominated. Blu
these were simply small error
IN personal judgment, while tn
tour years of his administrator
were marked by an ability in tn
handling of government affair:
q sagacity in dealing with othe
nations, a wisdom in his officis
utterances and in the preparatio
of state papers, which mark hir
as one of the greatest of Twin