Middletown transcript., 1894-02-10
CLEVELAND CALLED DOWN.

When Mr.. Cleveland,2 : on the 4th OF
March last, for the second time hung
! up his hat for four-years' sojourn in
the White House, the sun shone at the
close of the day on as exultant and
hopeful political organization as ever
assumed control of this Government.
1t was not long until the little crack
appeared which, growing deeper and
i deeper, has threatened to split wide
open the solid rock of Democracy.
Unfortunately for the party and the
country, antagonisms existing among
the majority in the two Houses of
Congress are complicated very much
by the excessively strained relations
which prevail between the White
House and the Democratic majority in
the national legislature. The old sores
Of this character, the heritage of Mr..
Cleveland's first term, which festered
and ranked for the years and months
up 10 the time of his third nomination,
in June, 1892, were healed or appar-
emily healed in the soothing and pow
erful draught of the great popular up
rising in the November election in
that year. The political sea, when
triumphant Democracy reentered upon
supreme control was without ripple,
and the great captain Of all was sup
posed to have fair sailing ahead for the
four years s'cruise. But the anchors had
scarcely been lifted when the storm
cloud of expectations disappointed
darkened the fair horozon, and the
tidal wave of suspicion, distrust, and
discord reared mountain high its
threatening head. The cloud has grown
blacker and blacker, and the wave
has lowered higher and higher.
At the card reception at the White
House on Thursday of last week, given
especially in honor of Congress of the
United States, the Republicans present
largely outnumbered the Democrats.
1t was difficult to pick out a demo-
cratic Senator. The absence was so
CONSPICUOUS as almost to be embarres-
ing, and it even elected comment
from the usually reticent tongue of the
President. 1t is not the purpose of
this communication to seek 10 locate
the responsibility for this unhappy
of affairs. Of course, opinions
differ as to that. It is the wish only to
recite facts, It is an extraordinary oc-
casion, though, when Democrats assert
publicly that they had more consider
atioN under Republican Administra-
tions THAI under the one of their own
party. 1t b unquestioned that spoils
have not a little to do with this en-
but it is asserted with
confidence that ether causes. ;7folving
dignity and self-rSsEect, have as i'm
portant bearing upon the reasons why
so very few Of the Democrat leaders
ever cross the portals of the White
House. Until this winter nothing but
death or personal illness has been re-
garded as a sufficient excuse for not
to white house invitation
and the eyes of the punctilious have dis
tended alarmingly at the news that sew
eral Democratic Senators hidden to
White Honse dinners have sent the
most curt and formal declinations.
Immediately after the 4th of March |
while the Senate was here in special
session, prominent Democratic Senators
assert that again and again they be-
sought the President to call the house
,ogether, so that the tariff could be at |
once taken up for consideration and
disposed of by autumn. Undoubtedly |
he President had good reasons for not |
these suggestions, but expert
snce has proved their wisdom. Other
as to pnblic policy and pub
lie measures were not received very
,ordially-the President would listen
n silence and look bored. Finally when
Senator'S and members came to the
White House they found the private
secretary of the President standing
like Chinese wall between them and
the presence of the executive. They
were required to state the nature of
their business and afterward wait un-
til it was ascertained whether they
could have an audience. In some in.
stances they we're dismissed with the
notice that if the President wished to
see them the fact would be communi-
Gated. 1t is related that during the ex-
tended silver debate in the Senate there
were frequent instance when conference
with the Executive would have been
most desirable, but the opportunity
could not be obtained. On one occa-
sion a distinguished member of the
Senate Finance Copmittee, in the very
crisis of the fight, 4 hen word from
the White House was almost vital,
rushed to the Executive Mansion only
to find that the President was out some
where in Maryland shooting squirrels.
In all the fuss and trouble over the
Hawaiian business, the defenders of
the Administration in the press and in
the forum have practically been COM
PEELED tc supply their own ammunition
Whatever was furnished from the
White House House or the Department
of State was doled out with the ,scanti-
est of hands.
1t will not be gainsaid that the criti-
cism which has been freely passed upon
the Senate for its hostile attitude to-
ward the Executive in the matter of
appointments is in large degree justi.
fed. Yet there are two sides to this.