The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-04

a difference No sensible person doubted
1t before that and the agitation then
caused injured the governments credit.
ILL
Then he tried to retire the greenbacks
when he SHOULD have known the Carlisle
scheme which he fathered, had no
chance at all. He simply wasted force
On an impossible scheme. But he had no
one to inform him of congressional condi-
tions and he persisted as usual, ana was
beaten. His characteristic obstinacy was
at fault again. Thus more irritation was
caused His supply of patronage gave out
and attacks on him and members OF his
administration were frequent, but the
president was not moved. He sent Car
Isle and Hoke Smith proselyting and in
his own mind had the Democracy of the
south and west converted to goldbugism.
He lost Kentucky for the Democracy on
this issue, but still thought he could con-
troll the Chicago convention. His per-
sistence in demanding gold bonds instead
of coin ones and In trying to retire the
greenbacks had aroused the silver men,
who fought for their lives and secured
control of the Chicago convention by al
most two-thirds. 1t was only few
weeks before this event that the pres-
dent understood that he was to be beaten
and policy entirely opposed to his own
was to be adopted. He had wooed the
tempest and 1t destroyed him and his
content which were largely created by
the hard times his tariff policy had
caused were responsible for the adoption
of platform at Chicago that was menac-
ing to the nation. Beaten on the tariff,
they tried silver and Populism, just as
Mr.. Cleveland had sought to recover
ground lost by the tariff by gold prop
aganda.
ill
Mr. Cleveland was still courageous and
| he refused to assent to the new platform.
| He favored the gold Democratic move
| ment. Though II tactless man, he was
| brave, as usual, and he stood by the rem
nant of his party that was favorable to
honest money and the preservation of the
government from reckless and dangerous
| theories. His gold Democrats fought
| well and aided in the election of Mckin-
| ley. but the necessity for semi-support
| os Republicanism might have been avert
| ed had Mr.. Cleveland been more tactful
| True, he would have been beaten on the
| tariff, but his party might have remained
| intact Here again was stubbornness
| and oVer-estimaton of personal strength
| at fault. 1t having occurred to him that
| Il certain policy was advisable he imme-
| diately proceeded to try to have it adopt
| ed, but instead of producing converts he
| drove supporters away. lie was brave
| in lighting for what he believed, but his
bravery brought destruction, and he
| fought when diplomacy would have won
| more.
| --:..:--
There can be no doubt of the presi-
| dents manly stand for honest money.
| This is appreciated but in his impolitiC
| attitude, by trampling rudely and need
| lessly on the feeling of the opposition, he
did incalcuable injury. He did not know
| how to win men. He never tried to per-
suade them. He rather sought to force
| them, and naturally failure followed. He
| was embarrassed by the treasury deficit,
| which caused the gold reserve to be
| drawn away, and the issue of $2G2, 900, ,O0C
| in bonds. Had he admitted that the tar
iff was a failure and asked for more reve-
| nue. he might have secured 1t, but he
| would not admit his tariff policy had
| ti2Zled and obStnately refused assistance
| that was available. Obstinacy agar
| caused his undoing. There is admiration
for Grover Cleveland as brave man anC
| there is regret that he is tactless. His
administration has been a strange combi
nation of success and failure and failure
really outWeighS the success. His admin
istration will long be remembered and ht
himself WIN have n prominent place il
| history as Il man of courage, utterly
without tact whose administration was
characterized by unusual privation fac
tional fighting and conflict within tn,
party. He made few friends and few re
gret his departure.