The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-03
THE ADMINIsTRA TIoN THAT GOES
OUT.


claimed for that of President Cleveland
which is officially retired at midnight,
tonight
Such friondliness as il retained for the
retiring government is chiefly Of per-
sonal nature due TO the scattered apprc-
ciation Of the man Cleveland by such Of
his fellow citizens as so highly regard
him that nothing that he or his admins
tration, has done or has left undonc
seems powerful 90 overcome the conf
dencc in the President originally accorded
him at a time when a strong individuality
was thought To have been particularly
demanded in the executive chair. The
number of these friends has been amaz-
ingly reduced since President Cleveland
entered upon his second term of Office.
But upon the loyalty of the remaining
few largely depends whatever good stand
ing the entire administration is TO have
In history.
A recent writer has said that Mr. Clcvc-
land has given us an administration of
contrasts and of contradictions ana 1t is
true that the political character and career
of the President himself has been full of
contrasts and contradictions. MS is
pointed for instance by the fact that
himself an outspoken opponent against
practical politics, Office seeking and by
inference, n scoffcr at the honor of Office
holding, the President has all his life
been an office holder and presumably an
office seeker. From his young manhood
he has been public official, his income
derived from office holding and his daily
bread drawn from, If not dependent
upon, tho emolument of public office
His second election, so far from
expressing the 'better element and
the higher political intelligence of
the voters of this country actual
iy resulted from combination of
the deplorable influence of Tammany
Hall with the Altgeld anarchy of Illinois,
Populism, the silver element, and the
Solid South of course. And recovery from
the Generalization of the electorate thus
Indicated was expressed only by the defeat
OF the administration at every subsequent
election and its population by his own
party when 1t went over body and mind
TO the cause of silver.
That the personality of the President
has dominated the administration of the
government of the United States at Wash
ington affords his admirers opportunity
for crediting him, and him alone, for every
good thing that may be claimed for it,
That that personality has notably failed
10 $40 dominate in conspicuous instances
enables such discriminating friends to
shift the load of blaine from the shoulders
OF their favorite to that of the Democratic |
party or the administration, impersonaliy |
and indefinitely Outside this limited |
circle of personal admirers the disposition |
of the country may be said to hold the |
President responsible for about every |
act of importance. to his credit or
to his blame rs the case may be, so
strongly is 1t imbued with sense of his |
in affairs, "a sentiment he it |
said, that the President has himself in
spred and nursed He denounced the
Wilson German bill as measure of per-
1dy and dishonor but nevertheless he
allowed 1t To pass through his Office TO
wreak disaster upon the industries Of his
country and to embarrass the government
and force ii to a shameful and quite un-
precedented position. Unable TO ''rule
a turbulent people" after the masterful
fashion that is one of his characteristics,
he has not stood in the way of their ruin.
Imposing In his professions, he has per-
mittcd contrary practices rather than
his own with Others views for
fhc best advantage That might be possible
from such combination Protesting against
the practice of political spoliation, he has
closed his eyes 10 such looting of the
offices as has not been known since the
policy "to the victors belong the spoils, e"
was first cnunciated. Never losing oppor-
tunity to indulge in platimdcs I'm respect
Of the ''masscs" and the "classes, " the
misfortune of conditions that permit tho
rich to become richer while compelling
the poor to become poorer, " IL may he
said that never in the history Of the coun-
try have we been confronted with situn.
ton that so nearly approaches the distinc-
tions thus dcplored, II the tariff bin that
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