The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-08

currency, and have calculated too
littlc upon the gold that would he
added 60 our circulation. II
ia not so much contraction or our
currency that should be avoided as
it's unequal distribution
The "gold that would be added to our
circulation" would be like tire gold that
was to flow In from abroad upon the re-
peal OF the Sherman law and the i'm
mediate and universal reign Of prosperity
that was TO follow the defeat Of Bryan
alluuing prediction having ne foundation
TO rest upon. Whatever else he may
be, Mr.. Cleveland is q conspicuous fail
ure as fnancier. His measures al
ways enrich the bondholders, but produce
stagnation In business, disaster to the
business man, loss Of work to the laborer,
and distress to the farmer. We will
have none OF his policy.
Toward the close of the message we
are treated to homily on Civil Service
reform. system which Mr.. Cleveland,
as well as Mr.. Harrison, has employed
to keep his friends in office, and which he
has wantonly violated whenever he could
vent his spleen by so doing. At one time
we believed in his sincerity: this admin
istration has taught rs that If he believes
in the system, he has violated his faith
by unjust treatment Of faithful officials,
whose only crime was that they did not
sneeze whenever he took snuff. He evil
IDENTIFY feels the force Of the criticisms
upon his indefensible course, for he seeks
to excuse it by charging indirectly that
the men be removed were guilty Of gross
partisanship. If he removed them for
such conduct, why does he shield the gold
officers who followed him in boiling the
party, and who neglected their official
duties to assist the deeoy ticket?
Worse even than his inconsistency upon
Civil Service reform, is his dissertation
upon trusts. He tries to excuse his
fragrant violation Of his pledges to prose
cute the trusts by saying:
!
10 deal with this matter by legisla-
ton, the laws passed for chat purpose
thus far have proved ineffective, not
because of any lack Of disposition or
attempt to enforce them, but simply
because the laws themselves as in
terpreted by the courts do not reach
the difficulty"
Mr.. Cleveland was elected upon plat
I, II,
ed them more bitterly than Mr. Bryan
ever did. But when he became Presi-
dent, he made a known attorney for
trusts Attorney General During the
three years and nine months of this adj
ministration not one single honest effort
has been made to enforce the law against
trusts. The antitrust provision, incor-
porated in the new tariff act, was strong
enough and comprehensive enough to
have driven great trusts to the wall. 1t
has been dead letter. The people We're
first surprised that no attempt was made
to enforce it, then outraged, then disgust
Ell. The high-sounding platitudes in
this farewell message but add mockery to
the betrayal of the pledge to defend the
people against trusts and all other unlaw-
full aggregations of wealth. 1t would
have been better for his reputation if,
instead of an Explanation that does not
explain, Mr.. Cl&yeland had made no men
ton Of the. weakest spot, except the Sc
cret bond deal, in his administration.
The message viii strengthen the arms
and confirm the faith of those Democrats
who have refused to follow the lead Of
Mr.. Cleveland. 1t smacks Of bonds and
contraction and Indifference to the pa
triotic Cubans as well as Of disregard
of the condition of the masses of his own
country. Millions for the bondholders;
not a cent for the struggling millions;
sympathy for the ambassadors and min
listers because they have to pay rent;
not a word of sympathy for the strug-
Cling Cubans in their matched huts:
help for the national banks; not crumb
for the taxpayers: excuse, confession
and avoidance for the trusts; no hope
held out to those impoverished by these
unlawful combinations. Such is the mes
sage. The old Democratic phillipics a.
gainst monopoly, tariff robbers, trusts,
wrongs of the money power, and pension
grabbers are either wanting altogether
or introduced and discussed without the
vigor that should characterize the mes
sage of a Democratic President.
DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO READ IT.
IincnIn Nnh Dec IA rnnrnsanta-