The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-04
THE MESSAGE.

| When the President OF these United
States send, message 10 Congress and to
the sixty million people. whose Executive
he Is, his communication commands
most respectful consideration. II should
lie regarded as an impressive thi ing.
! And vet, alas, President is 40 more
than a man, and in this Republic OF
free thought and speech his high Office
can command little moro for itself Of
public honor than the individual who
occupies it can command.
"Oh. vanity OF vanitcs,
how wicked the DEGREES Of fate are
How very weak the very wise;
How very small tho very great are!"
In his message sont to the Fifty-iourth
Congress, yesterday, President CLEvE-
LAND has re-opencd a controversy, the
resul, OF which eau, eonceivably, not be
in his favor With a sort OF courage that
has too much OF the brsvsdo about it to
be regarded as sublime he has jumped
into the arena 10 fight battle that has
already been decided against him by an
/ Overwhelming popular judgment. We
, can but admire tina, characteristic of
President CLEVELAND that ever prompts
him to take an aggressive rather than q
defensive position in politics. The peo-
| pie like an aggressive man, and therein,
in the past, has been the CLEVELAND
strength that has puzzled cool'neaded
and calculating politicians. But the peo-
pie In their calmer judgment do not like
| a man who fails to understand when he is
clicked, or one nose courage verges on
plain foolishness. And Mr.. CLEvELANp's s
message, that part of it that is OF more vital
interest 10 US, the consideration OF the
state OF business aud the finances, is SO
audacious that it amounts TO what the
popular nomenclature OF the day would
style as nerve"
We pass over for the present the Presi-
dents exhaustive statement OF our rela-
tions with various foreign nations
! Most OF this Is a summary Of facts that
have been reported from time TO time in
the newspapers, and, except for such COM
ment and suggestion as were to be ex-
pected relating to Venezuela, Cuba and
the seal fisheries, the President con-
tents himself with an official presenta-
tion OF the attitude the administration
has assumed in its various foreign rela-
tions since Congress last met. Important
as much OF this has become since last
March. our domestic affairs have been in
such an unusual condition that they
| command far moro attention, and we ven
! ture TO guess that nine out OF ter read
ers of the message in our columns yes
terday hurried hastily along to get 10
tho part relating to the finances and the
tariff.
Not excepting the free trade promulgs-
| tion OF The President on the assembling
of the Fifty-Tbird Congress, there has,
we believe, not been time in this gen.
Grafton when so much popular curiosity
| awaited an executive communication.
We will not ray popular interest, for it
was not expected that the President would
make any departure from the policy laid
! down by Lims II two and ono half years
ago and rcpudiaied hy the people in the
fall ot 1894. But 10 express II after On
expressive fashion, and with no purpose
OF 6isresfect TO the Executive il msy be
said that the people have been eagerly
curious to discover how the President
would "crawl out OF IT,"
Dut the President has not crswled at
| oil. With a rashn,ss that almost com
nands admiration he has taken the bull
| by the horns ano has almost confoundod
US with tho bravado of his sophistry, the
rashness OF his attack against facts, fig
urcs and popular judgment. Unfortu-
| ratelr for tho fu, pross ion that hfs fncp-to.