The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-05
administration? I wish to say all the good
i can consistently with the truth.
HARRISON AND CLEVELAND

administration? / wish to say all the goot
i can consistently with the truth.
HARRISON AND CLEVELAND.
Well. the first four years of Mr.. Clevelan,
came to an end. And then came four year
under Harrison with prosperity at hom
and honor abroad. Did Chill maltrea
American seamen, the demand for apolog!
and redress was prompt. and the apolog!
and redress came quickly. Did Italy witt
some haste, spiced with insolence, make
demand for reparation for injuries to Ital
ian subjects at New Orleans, the answe
came from Harrison: Our government il
just, but it cannot be bullied into precipi
tate action; it will investigate the fact
and do what is just The whole affai
was managed with the dignity that be
comes a great nation. There was trouble
about the seal fisheries with England. Har
rison wrote the Bering sea treaty under
which the subject of dispute was deter
mined by arbitration. Commercial treaties
were made with Germany and other ma
tions, opening their markets to our farm
products and manufactures. Everywhere
at home and aoroad were seen and felt
the beneficial influence of this master mind
at Washington. And at the same time Mr.
Reed, with his ability to secure a Lawful
quorum. pushed legislation and enabled
Congress to transact the important bust
ness of the Republic with dispatch.
And then tame the stampede of 1882. How
II came ABOUT IL Is nara TO understand. 1t
is very evident now that many who were
led astray then are completely cured of
their folly. The Democratic cry was:
Give US another 81. ehance-just give US the
inaugurate an era of prosperity that would
dim the luster of the golden age itself" And
the good people said: Let the Democrats
have another chance Let them have the
President, and the Senate and the House,
SO that they can have their own way and
give the country an administration of the
J6fIerSODidn Democratic IA
came of it? In foreign affairs futile dali
lance" with the former Queen of the Sand
wich islands, a hot fit in which the coun-
try was pushed to the verge of war with
England about dirty swamp at the mouth
of the Orinoco. That is the sum of Mr..
Cleveland's later achievements in the field
of diplomacy.
How about home affairs? President Har-
rison expressed the belief that Mr. CIeve-
reformed; The wison-G orman bill
bantling was dumped upon the door, ,re
step at the White House. Cleve-
land ordered them to take, the brat
perhdy and dishpnor. 1t became a law,
Notwithstanding the Presidents veto--and
is now in force-at least, so much of it as
is left after the Supreme Court had it in
hand. See its beneficent results. During
the year ending June 30 1885, our imports
previous year Our agricultural exports
alone We're $75,000,0 900 less than they were
the year before, making a balance against
us of $16S 900, 000
Harrison's administration paid off $3.50
sr of the national debt and left the
Treasury full to overlooking. Cleveland's
ADMINISTRATION hired a syndicate of bankers
and paid them $4,000, 900 commission for the
sale OF bonds, which increased the national
u ., saoo'o1o quo. It bankrupted the Treas
ury ana increased the national debt. 1t
Is the first time in the history of the Ma
ton that President has been compelled
TO hire lot of bankers to take charge of
the Nations finances.
DEMOCRATIC INCAPACITY.
1t is another and striking illustration Of
the utter incapacity of the Democratic par
ty for conducting the affairs of this Ma
tion 1t takes right thinking and good BUSH
ness sense to govern nation 1t is the mis-
fortune rather than the fault of the Dem
ocratIc party that it lacks, capacity for
consecutive thought and has no business
ABILITY whatever. During the last thirty
years what party is it that has thought out
ana carried out the policies under viii h
this Nation has made such astounding
progress? In 1860 Democratic President
thought and said that we had no power to
coerce a State and save the Union Mr.
Lincoln put on his thinking cap and came
to different conclusion, and he thought
out way in which the Union could be
saved. Leading Democrats and a Demo-
cratic ex-President thought there would be
more soldiers from the North to fight for
the South than for the Union. The Repub-
Hcan party thought differently. Which was
right! In 1852 Democrats said we had no
right to issue greenbacks, nor bonds to raise
money to carry on the war In 1864 they
thought the war was a failure and that
tional banks. they thought we could not
resume specie payments in 1879; they
thought we could not free the slaves nor
incorporate the three amendments into the
Democrats
thought wrong and the Republicans thought
right. We have had some great thinkers as
over the list LINCOLN Chase, the Sher-
mans. sumner, Sheridan, Grant, Hayes,
Garfield, Thomas, Logan, Morton, Harri-
son, Tom Reed-their name Is legion. Can
our Democratic friends match them? 1t is
almost cruel to ask the question. And yet
we should pity rather than upbraid them.
They say they have done the best they
could. l wonder what would have happened
II they had done their worst. 1t is very
make fun OF man because he has a Wen
on his face. Democracy is afflicted with an
incurable incapacity for conducting the
business affairs of a great nation. A lady
In a neighboring city sent her son away to
school, and in due time she received a re-
port from his instructor saying, among 9TH
er complimentary things, that John
showed remarkable inaptitude for study"
me poor woman was delighted with the
words and exhibited the let
ter to her neiGhbors an evidence of her
sons proficiency. So. we may say of the
Democratic party that during the last
thirty years 1T has demonstrated its
general inaptitude for public business
party that has been in opposition for so
many years has forgotten, if 1t ever knew
how, to frame and carry out constructive
policy. A ram has a very thick skull re-
suitfng from his constant cultivation of his
butting propensities. When / was a boy
the village urchins used to amuse them
selves by putting a cap on the end of a
rail and poking it through the fence to
see the old ram butt it. He never seemed
to tire of it, and after each effort he would
back off and look wise as Democratic
orator when he delivers himself of some
denunciatior~ CT the Repub-
lican party. The old party remains just
the same, and the skull of the Democratic
party is getting thicker and thicker all the
time. Goethe says:
Mules will be mules by the law of their
Then be advised and leave fools to their
foolishneSS.
What from an ass can be got but a bray?''
Perhaps we have been expecting too much
of the Democratic party. But haven't we
with them long enough? How
many times do the people want to be fooled
by their false promises and feeble perform
ances? 1t is very expensive business. l
know the country is tough. 1t has wealth
cred the storm of a civil war and sup
pressed a Democratic rebellion. 1t has had
eight years of Cleveland. and though sad