The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-24


A Mr.. Gibson, of New York. OF the
brokers firm of Watson x Gibson, Of
that city. on being asked Saturday what
he thought Of the Presidents last hnan-
cial message-that of Friday last-said:
Mr.. Cleveland has succeeded In pulling
down the structure OF public and private
credit, and, alarmed ~ lis own CRIMINAL
folly. ne has issued another oi his tirost
daily messages, which, II viewed from
their reception ia " all street, might be
called market letters lie pOrtrays the
financial situation I'm the most gloomy
and alarming phases, ana urges COngfe -
to act. II shows that he is COMPOUNDED
by the effect of his own atrOciOus disrc-
gard Of al the material interests OF TINS
country.
This hits the nail squaTely upon the
head. Mr. Cleveland has pulled down
the structure of public and private
credit" The man who has been looked
to by every man in the United States
who understands that the very life Of the
people depends upon public and private
credit. has turned upon them and pulled
down the entire edfce and scattered its
wrecks all around. Talk not to as Of MS
motives being good. This is no time TO
discuss motives. We have our own opin-
ion about his motives. and We may eN-
press that opinion when he proper tmd
arrives. But this is no time TO waste
energies in the discussion Of the great
marplot's motives. what we have TO deal
with is the situation that he has pre-
cipitated upon this country when IL was
gradually working itself out Of the trou-
bles that had been cast upon II. II ne
is iii for the chair that he occupies he
should have considered the enormous
consequences Of his action before he took
it. 1t was no part Of his duty to take
the British lion 10y the beard and slap MS
face. If extreme measures Of that sort
were to be resorted TO, Congress was the
body to take the step. Ills whole duty
was fulfilled when ne laid the facts before
Congress and left to it the determination
of what should be done
In all history there is no such case
as MIR .Cleveland's. of a man falling IN
one hour from the very topmost pinnacle
of the esteem of good men to the very
lowest depths to which their distrust can
consign him. Ten days ago he had the
absolute confidence and respect OF Inc
decent. orderly. religious, and law-abid-
ing people of these United States To-
dav. having put himself at the head of
the brawlers, the swashbucklers, the rest
less. and the turbid elements Of the
population ne is dreaded by his old fol-
lowers. and must now make his bed with
those whose whole occupation has 50 far
been the denunciation of him. 1t is but
a weak expression Of the situation TO
ask, How are the mighty fallenY
We assume that the opinion of con-
sorvative men is everywhere the same as
in Richmond and we can say that of
those one meets here in walking the
streets, IN the stores and on the eX-
changes, nine out of every ten will be as
emphatic as they can be in denouncing
the course which Mr. Cleveland has pur-
sued and in declaring that this coun-
try shall not be involved in war with
Great Britain over the boundary dispute
between her and Venezuela. And the
men who are loudest in making this
declaration are the very men who have
heretofore been the strongest in support
ing Mr.. Cleveland in the wise and con-
servatiye manner in which he has dis
charged the duties of his high Office.
How are the mighty faiien?"