New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-19
NO IMPROVEMENT.

What did the country vote for In 1S92! III
was for change and asslredly the people
wanted Il change for the better In what single
respect can fair and thoughtful mon OF either
party feel that the country has gained better
government by the election? The foreign ser
vice Of the country It must certainly be- adj
mitted, has not been considered an improve
ment Without recurring TO bnnders in hawai-
or Samoa men must at least recognize the fact
that nothing has been done abroad 10 reflect
especlal honor on the Nation, extend It's com
merce enlarge the markets for Its products. or
increase It's influence among other nations. 80
the executive service at home has not been dis-
tipguished by Improvement in any direction. II
has been generally decent and upright. ana 80
much the public has u right 10 expect from any
Administration Mistakes will occur under any,
and some during the last year have been gar
ing But the main fact is that there has been
no definite or general Improvement. The tone
Of the service has not been lifted. Partisanslip
has not been restricted 10 a narrower field: bur,
on the contrary the protests Of Civil Service He
formers hold the President directly responsible"
for surrendcrlng to the politicians ana giving
them n greater measure Of play The men who
hope1 most from President Cleveland are those
who confess most sadly that he has completely
disappointed them.
In what respect has the transfer Of power TO a
Democratic Congress brought Improvement IN
government? Besides an extra session. we are
now having n regular session Of more than the
usual length Yet 1t cannot be said hat any
good thing has yet been done 10 compensate Tor
all tlis loss Of time and effort and expense:
The purchasing clause Of the Silver act has been
reDealpI but by the votes Of Republicans with
minority Of Democrats. and this would have
been done by a Republican Congress under ID"
leadership Of Senator Sherman himself, since
the act had sufficiently tested the usefulness of
such purchases Not one other change has Deem
made which can be regarded AS step toward
Improvement The time has been wasted t3 m
amazing extent by the incapaclty aud absence
OF members OF the majority. and even the most
necessary appropriation bills have not yet been
PASSED though the Government viii b" lett
in TWO weeks without any provision for lis cX-
pcnscs. Absolutely nothing has been done 10
protect the Treasury against the rapid cx-
baustion Of It's reserves for the redemption or
circulating notes nor 10 guard the business com
uunity against depreciation and disif1lSt or the
currency The earnest efforts OF Democratic
statesmen and Journals have not been able 10
awaken Congress TO the necessity Of authorizing
IL popular loan AT low rate II Interest. Instead
Of borrowing under great disadvantages on
bonds OF the kind authorized twenty years ago.
Congress has not yet passed any Tariff Dill,
but II has gone so far that ihorsands Of The
most earnest and intelligent Democrats declare
IL would be infinitely better 10 leave the Me-
Kinley law in force than 10 pass The shameless
Bill of Sale and surrender. The Sugar bargain
with oil It's scandals, the grant or utterly inde-
fcpsible favors 10 an OdiOus monopoly. and the
indecent barterng with other Interests for votes
enough to give the Sugar Trust Its bride n
millions have made this revenue bill more Of
fcnsive to the people than any other measure
of that nature ever framed by Congress ret
IL seems likely TO pass, not because Democrats
npprovc II or want H. but because they think IL
n partisan necessity TO pass some tarin BILL ana
this infamous surrender 10 the trusts ana mo-
noDolics IS believed 10 be the only bill That parry
can frame and pass