New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-06
THE HISTORIC TRfiH.
people


While Democratic comments on the frlehiful
disasters ana failures Of the last two years are
passionaicly blunt they are not entirely fair
Not one has been observed which does moi strive
10 east all The blame on one faction or III" other
Bu no Just or adequate Judgment j. possible u
mon persist in ignoring either the share II The
President In all tn" mischief or ID" >hir" ~
Congress II il j. trle that the President hdd 4
fearful load 10 carry in such a Congress. II j.
also true that hc party had "A fearful load Z"
carry in such a President. Nor l. II merely
matter Of abstract Justice that tho" things
should be- understood. Those who are forever
idcalizins and wor>hipping Mr.. Cleveland. III
spite Of his amazing errors. VIII not fan to he
rate and malign the wseSi men OF IN" next
Republican Congress il it darcs 10 differ from
him in opinion.
Before the last Congress met The tact was
pointed OH, that it prcdestncd To- fail on
account OF its own elements and the elements
I'm the party behind II which Were driving II
forward II meant political death 10 large
share Of the Democratic members II they failed
, 10 satisfy tn, extreme POpulisic tendencies In
Western aud Southern districts Though they
did go rs far a. they could, though they voted
for free coinage Of silver. and displayed their
haired Of bondholders and bankers. Of creditors
and all honest money men. of manufacturing in
dustrlcs Transporting companies and Eastern
property owners in almost every way within
their power still they were not able To get
enough done 10 save them from surprising
overthrow These men were actually fighting
for their political lives. as The Tribune had
shown they must and they were az sincere and
+ desperate about II AZ the opponents who pre-
dictcd that such Il course would simply wipe
on, the party In Eastern States.
Ii was equally clear that the present revolution
In the tariff and in Industries was attempted
at such time as 10 destroy the party in manu-
featuring States. and that the shrcwlcs men
from those States would therefore employ all the
resources AT their command 10 thwart tile Of
forts so far as they could For these men. what
Mr. Cleveland called periidy and dshonor To the
party was simply fidelity TO their constituents
and regard for their own political lives. Thus
the task set by Fre,>Tradc and Populistic fanaf-
icism combined was wellngh impossible one,
bu, the President proceeded TO increase lis diff
Guilty enormously.
Probably no one will fully measure the harm
done TO the Democratic party by President
Clevclands foreign policy Of infamy. II not
merely turned multtudcs against The party. but
II, went far 10 destroy among Democrats in Con
grcss all confidence in his leadership and his in
fiuencc with public opinion The Consciousness
that they were forced for partys sake 10 shield
such policy from ccnsurc not only Inundated
and angered congressman, bur made them more
desperately anxious 10 save themselves by cX-
tremc action Oh the tariff and money questions
1t is more than probable. Also that the Prcs-
dents refusal TO call IN extra session of Con
grcss early in 1893. when 1t might have avcried
much disaster was In large degree the fruit Of
/ his bull-headed determination 10 cram his for
eign policy through before Congress could get
a chance TO interrupt II. This refusal 10 call
Congress together the cause of countless
woes TO the country and To the Democratic
party. 1t gave time for all the great industries
10 get profoundly alarmed by The preparations
made by the reform league" and by Treas
ury and other so-callcd experts. TO put through
| n revolutionary change Of duty II gave time
| for mills to run out their orders and close with
out soliciting morc-tlme for multitude OF fail
| ures and for enormous Withdrawals Of money
| from savings and other banks to provide against
| the disaster that was vishy drawing near
| When the millions began TO realize that Demo-
! cratic rule meant unprecedented disaster, their