Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-11-14
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

the election of Tuesday really
meano We do not refer to its
meaning as the shadow cast before
on 1896. There is no room for
questioning on that score. In that
sense it means, as a matter of
course, that the country has had
enough Of the Democracy and
proposes to get rid of it just as
soon as possible. But why?
1t must be admitted in all fair
ness that Grover Cleveland went
into office the second time strong
in the confidence Of the people.
A great many Republicans who
voted their own ticket on general
principles really viewed with COM
placency his election. They felt
somewhat apprehensive of the
Democratic Congress. That was
going a little too far to be COM
Portable, but, on the whole, Mr..
Cleveland was fully up to the
average Of incoming Presidents in
the possession Of public confidence.
Why has he sunk to the very
bottom of the bottomless pit Of
public distruSt and dissatisfaction?
The answer may be fairly express
ed in one word, un-American.
From first to last, and in every
respect, the policy of the present
Cleveland administration has been
un-American. Hardly had Mr..
Clev eland taken the Presidential
seat, if indeed, he had taken. it.,
before he went into, if he did not
originate, a scheme to overthrow a
friendly American republic and
put the government back into the
hands of debauched Queen. 1t
was secret conspiracy, odious
through all the intrigues of old
time royalty Europe is accus-
toned to international plots and
counter-plots, but this country is
not and never has been. Even
when the slave power was reach
ing fer more territory there was
no passing Of cards under the
table. but an open, above-board
negotiation. The American people
were disguised, his own party
hardly if any less than the Re
publicans. For prudential reasons
there was a strong effort in the
Democracy to keep from making
Wry face, but it was hard work
to keep the protcstation from being
practically unanimous.
That Hawaiian intrigue was
kept up with a persistence worthy
good cause, and has never been
forgotten. Events retired it from
the foreground without obliterating
the public impressions and senti-
ments produced by it.
But chat was only the beginning
of a series. The entire foreign
policy of this administration has
been un-American. 1t has been
weak and cringing. With the
prestige of a great military reputa-
ton and the nucleus of a great
navy, the State Department has
faWned and trembied, allowing
any and every nation with which
we have had to do to treat US with
mcasureless contempt. Occasional
ly the newsmongers at Washington
have spoken up and told some
wonderful story of what Secretary
Olney was about to do, but no
substantial basis for such reports
has ever been shown to the people.
On the contrary, no progress has
been made i'll vindication of the
Monroe doctrine or in asserting
American rights in foreign affairs.
But foreign affairs are by no
means the most notable field for
the exploiting of the un-American
ideas Of this administration. The
really chief application of the
policy has been and is in matters
of imports and exports. The
fundamental principle of political
economy adopted by Cleveland
and his party was borrowed bodily
from England. 1t was formulated
and applied by England in the