The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-05-18
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

It will be an exceedingly interesting
campaign. more interesting than any
for many years. The first great fact
to confront all parties is that the coun-
try is not prosperous Many causes
will be assigned for this The Repub-
hcans will assign as the cause of this
condition the repeal of the Mckinley
law of 1890, and they will certainly de-
mand the repeal of the Wilson-Gorman
act whether they demand the re-en-
actment of the tariff law of 1890 or not
The Democrats will deny that the re-
| peal of the tariff law of 1890 is the
cause of the hard times. They can
/ point to the Barring failure as having
precipitated the series of panics that
! spread almost over the whole world.
! They can truthfully say that if there
! be virtue in protection then the Nc
Kinley law should have sustained the
| prosperity of the country during its ex-
istence, which it certainly did not. The
! battle will not wage fercest around
the old question of a high protective
| tariff and a revenue tariff.
The great issue of the campaign will
| be the financial one. 1t is the one that
today is occupying the attention of
press and people alike; it is the one
constant, ever-interesting theme of dis
cussion. 1t is the general anticipation
that the st. Louis convention will de-
clare for the gold standard, while all
is uncertainty as what action the Chi
cago convention will take on the ques-
ton. It is known that the administra-
ton will bend its every influence to
have the platform endorse its financial
| policy and declare for the gold stand
ard. Moreover, it is coming to be
general belief that the administration
is determined to control the convention
at all hazards and that it will not hes
itate a single moment to employ all the
methods for packing conventions
known to the carpetbaggers in the
south during reconstruction days If
such a course is pursued and ends in
success, there is small doubt that the
free silver Democrats will bolt the con-
vention in body. 1t will be the only
ollNA AldllNC lClt lliNlIls ullIGSS
ton and a confession of cowardice be
an alternative.
The Venezuelan question is sure to
cut a considerable figure in the cam
paign. but il will not be possible to
make any politics out of it as the
presidents message of December IL
was received with almost universal
,-1l,o Nv +I,a
distinction of party.
The matter OF recognition of Cuban
belligerency is bound to be fruitful
theme for discussion. The sentiment
of the country has been, and is, in ia
vor of this country recognizing the Gu 4
ban insurgents as belligerents, let the
consequences be what they may. Mr..
Cleveland has persistently refused to
take any steps in the matter, disre-
garding public sentiment and congress-
ional resolutions alike. That there has
been some weighty reason of state for
his action there is little doubt, for he
did not hesitate to invoke the Mon
roe doctrine in the Venezuelan case,
while in the very recent case of the
Competitor a brusque and almost per-
emptory note was addressed to Spain
regarding the rights of American citi-
zens under the treaty of 1885 and the
protocol of 1877 Mr.. Cleveland's for
eign policy has been thoroughly Amer
lean and as vigorous as any one could
wish.
In the coming campaign the bond is
sues will necessarily figure very prom
inently, and it will be the most serious
charge, in fact the only charge, that
can be brought against Mr.. Cleveland's
administration. To US they seem to be
wholly unjustifiable. Around them the
whole financial question revolves. If
the policy of making the money stand
ard of this country gold, with silver
as subsidiary coin, is right and proper
then they were justifiable. If this poll
cy be correct. then the contention of
the administration that the trouble lies
in the greenback system is true. But
it is wholly inconsistent with the fnan-
cial policy of the government from the
days of its foundation until the demon
etization of silver in 1873 and diamet-
rically opposed to a bimetallic system
because of the many evils that have
fallen upon the land as a consequence
of the characterization of silver, those |
Democrats who favor the money of the |
fathers, (and they constitute the great |
majority of the Democratic parity I
condemn the bond issues and say that |
the solution Of the problem which con-
fronts Mr. Cleveland and Mr. Carlisle |
was to have awaited themselves of |
their rights under the statutes and I
when runs were made upon the treas
ury paid out silver, thereby prevent
ing an appreciation of gold, and SO de-
creasing the demand for it. This they
believe would have fully protected |
the treasury and avoided the necessity |
for any bond issues whatever More
Republicans will endorse his bond is
sues for the purpose of maintaining /
the gold reserve than Democrats will.
The situation and the outlook are ex-
tremely interesting. Everyone real
ICES that the issues of the future will
be different from those of the past.
Social and industrial conditions are
changing; corporations have usurped
the domain of enterprise that once was
the individuals; units become of less
Importance while aggregates are of
more Importance. The tendency of the
times is towards state socialism. The
old lines betw-e state and federal
power are becoming less and less dis