Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-06
From Climax to Anti. Climax.


March 4, 1898 witnessed the climax of
the Democratic party for the first time
since the slave owners of the South die
tated to Democracy and the government.
March 4, 1895 witnessed the fulfilment
of the anti climax, after two years of
Democratic control in the executive and
legislative branches of the government.
What record that has been! Its only
parallel is found in the administration of
Buchanan. Between these two eras of
Democratic control, there is nothing ap-
preaching it. and it is the fervent wish of
every man whose interest in the welfare of
his country exceeds his interest in the poll
tical gains of his party, that neither of
these eras may again be duplicated.
Grover Cleveland went into power on the
at it's height. There was admiration of
the man where now is contempt. There
were both branches of Congress in COM
plete control of the Democracy. The plat
form of the party contained tariff plank
that no one could misunderstood, though
an ignoramus 1t was not written to be
misunderstood. The prosperity OF the
country was greater than ever before in
its history Never before in these United
States did a political party ever assume
the reins of national government under
brighter auspices Never has party
gone out Of power more disgracefully.
The sigh of reliet upon the dissolution Of
the SD Congress was we'll nigh universal
in this country. And there are few out
side those holding political offices under
the national government who wouldn't
experience relief were the President to
follow in the wake of the Democratic Con-
gress, into oblivion because of its few
good deeds and into history because of
its many VIGOROUSLY bad ones.
1t is easily remembered that President
Cleveland came to the executive chair
mounting cautionary utterances against
trusts but when he became securely seated
there began the greatest carnival of trusts
that the national capital ever witnessed
and in every instance the influence of the
President was on the side of the trusts
and the investments of the United States
senators were made in the knowledge that
what the trusts asked they would receive
That greatest scandal in our foreign
affairs, the attempt to replace on the
throne the barbarous Queen of Hawaii
was tainted by contact with the sugar
trust. The unequivocal tariff plank in
the platform was splinuered and sown to
the wind. The tariff law conceived in the
grossest fayoritism was delivered mis-
shapen object with no one to acknowledge
the parentage The deficiencies under
it aggregate millions. But this was not
all.
Congress when it came into working
power looked about for a leader, but when
the stress came it found that it had none
The President had assumed from the first
that Congress was created to carry out
his dictates. And he assumed this au
thority in such an arrogant, high-handed
manner that even what self respect Con-
gress possessed rebelled.
The course pursued by the President and |
those who would lead became confused and
factitional chaos took the place of calm de-
liberation. Nor was this all What was
done and was to be done were enough to
call a halt in business ventures. The favor
with which the demands of the trusts had
been received caused apprehension IN bust
ness circles but the ignorance and unsound-
ness in charge of the treasury department, |
the worse than i'll advised utterances be-
lieved to have been inspired by the Presi-
dent led to panic in financial circles |
And the elimination as every one knows,
is that to allay the distrust so senselessly |
excited, to meet the deficiencies occasioned
by the Ubiquitous tariff law this country |
has fallen from the position of debt pay
ing nation to one that is debt incurring.
With good reason Congress had become
alienated from the executive. All respect |
between the two as we'll as all confidence |
seems to have been destroyed. For months |
this condition has existed and worse yet |
the country realized it. What wonder
there was uncertainty, What wonder
business was at a standstill! What won
der that the capitalist would not under |
take enterprises dependent upon future
returns unless he did so on the basis of
ployes must work for the lowest possible |
wages even as guaged by the foreign |
competition, to which the tariff law had
exposed them. What wonder that in
1894 there were l, Alb, $50 hands idle; that !