Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-01-08

him in the place he sets for him. He
is not loved by his own party, but he
has made a strong figure head for po-
litical purposes and probably pulled
the party into power when no other
man could have done it. He is a man
with average good qualities, and is
persistent to accomplish what he
thinks is right. In his first presiden-
tial campaign his order to his friends
''to tell the truth' in regard to GER
tain unfortunate affair, did him more
good than thousand denials. 1t was
a curious fact that almost every man
iu his party condoned his offense, per
haps on account of his frank confes-
sion.
From a republican standpoint, the
President is woefully wrong in his po-
sition on the tariff question:; but as
far out the way as he may be, the
great majority of his party, including
almost all of it in the Southern and
Southwestern portion of the country,
is worse than he is. It is extremely
fortunate that Cleveland is spared for
all that section of the country, outside
of that mentioned above. His posi-
ton on the matters Of finance is
sound, as it is on some other matters.
He suffers from sort Of phobia for
everything that was done by Harri-
sons administration and by the re-
publican party. 1t seems to be sort
of disease with him. Hence the trouble
he has plunged into in the Hawaiian
matter. He seems anxious to reverse
the purpose and the work of the Re
publican administration whether or
no; he seems also to have hostility
to the reciprocity schemes of Blaine
and others.
Mr.. Cleveland's habitual cry for
what he calls ''tariff reform" seems
begotten of some old prejudice that
might have been uprooted in his mind
if he had studied the subject in the
light Of history or present experience.
By the way the Presidents adop-
ton and contortion of the word ere
form" comes the nearest to being
fraudulent and squarely dishon-
est of any of his exploits. ere
FORM" The word seems to carry the
idea of something corrupt, morally
wrong, vicious in principle ,as his par
ty puts it; but, as all know, when the
reform comes to be attempted, as in
the present tariff bill, which is now be-
fore the House by the Presidents ap-
proval, not single principle of the
Mckinley bill, except it may be the
method of assessing duties, is aban-
doned, and all the reform there is in
the measure is striking out a little
here, cutting off little there and in
creasing the number of articles on the
free list. 1T turns out, by the COM
mon consent and the general belief Of
the business men Of the country, that
this tariff tinkering bill, is that sort Of
reform which brings financial disaster
and destruction in it's course. Mr..
CIeveland's tariff reform is, SO far as
it's threatenings go, tremendous evil
and vice.
cere, but as Mr.. Reed said to one of
the members of the Ways and Means
committee, cit is not your purposes,
not your ignorance that we fear"
He seems to be tremendously mistak-
en-, and his mistake has become a
great national crime. No doubt but
that one of the great, if not the great
est cause Of the present commercial
condition, has been the feeling and
belief that Mr.. Cleveland would stand
by his party in that sort of "tariff re-
form'' which he advocated. So long
as President Harrison was at the helm
there was none of the alarm that has
existed in the last year, and whether
the reform shall produce less or great
er evil the crime has been in bringing
upon the country the present disaster
1t is claimed, and is doubtless true,
in the matter in which we are now
speaking, that Mr.. Cleveland is better
than his party. This is fortunate
fact, and we shall expect that he will
shield his country from some of the
dangers which now threaten it.
The acquittal of Conductor Scott, to
whose negligence the terribly fatal
railroad disaster at Battle Greek,
Mich, was attributed, will probably