The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-19
Walter Wellman'S ESti-
mate of Cleveland.
He Has Logic, Industry, COur-
age and Moral Sense.
Wherein He is Great and Wherein
He Is WOsiully Lacking.

WASHINGTON, Feb lbs Special. Pres
ident Cleveland is packing his trunk
preparatory TO departure from tho Whit
House with the unpleasant conscious
ness that he found his party in power II
all branches Of the government and tha
he leaves IL not only out of power every
where, but almost hopelessly divided
against itself. In other words, Mr.. Cleve
land, while esteemed great and safe pres
ident by the people, especially by the con
serYatiyc and business CLASSES. has been d
colossal failurc as party leader.
1t is true that in Washington Mr. Cleye
land has achieved ono triumph during the
Tour years OF his second administration.
He succeeded in securing repeal of the
sherman silver purchasing net. Even that
was accomplished almost by accident, after
Mr.. Cleveland had himself given up the
light. and through the skill and plucl. Of
the late Judge Gresham. Since slgnina
the repeal act Mr.. Cleveland has not had
the pleasure of afiixing his signature 10 a
| single measure containing recommenda.
tions made by himself On the other hand.
everything that he has suggested has been
turned down most ruthlessly by congress
| Hisyetoes have been most contemptuously
overridden In both branches of congress
Olney's Work.
Only one of his communications 10 tn,
national parliament was treated with the
respect which 1t deserved. That was the
venezuelan message, and it was treated
respectfully because Mr.. Cleveland placed
himself In touch with the patriotic senti.
ment of the times. But this message, on
at least tho events leading To il. must be
p1
Olney than of the president. Tho success
ful conclusion Of the Venezuelan negotia
ton, with incidental admission by Great
Britain OF the validity Of the Monroe doc
trine, is the one signal success Of the Cleve
land administration which is now drawino
To a close. Mr. Olney Is entitled 10 most
OF the credit for 1t, as no is to much of the
credit for the attitude assumed by the ad
ministration In the Chicago strikes.
These two things, along with the repeaI
OF the sherman law, will be by many con
sidered sufficient TO save the second nd.
ministration of Mr.. Cleveland from fail
ure. But in only one of the three was
congress direct factor, and I'm none OF
them was Mr.. Cleveland the chief spirit
save In n nominal sense
No Chance For the Treaty.
the senate during the closing hours of thi,
administration Is striking exemplinca
tion of the fact that Mr. Cleveland's s secone
term in the White House has been NOR,
noted for what he has not accomplished
than for what he has ACCOMPLISHED Tn,
fault is to large extent his, too, as the |
fate OF the arbitration treaty well shows. |
Senator Gray, one of the administration.
few remaining friends i'm the senate. ba,
made canvass of that body in order &c |
ascertain the chances of ratification, and |
no has been unable to find more than AZ
senators who will vote for ratification. His |
canvass does not include all the senator's.
But If tho ratio holds good among those
who are absent or whose attitude Is un
known the trcnty would be defeated by
small majority. The vote is close. and
with the changes in personnel which will
come 10 the senate the 4th Of next month
ratification may be secured i'm the next con
gross
Thus one of the few really notabl.
achievements Of the Cleveland administra
tion must be held in allowance and of
doubtful success in the end, in a body
where the presidents political friends are
more numerous than any other political
party. This could not have happcned II
Mr. Clcveland's policy toward rho scnat.
had been one of Cancellation instead of
war. With public opinion strongly in favor
'f the treaty, with the Republican leadc,
N the senate valiantly and persistently
irging its adoption, with most of the Re.
Dublicans favoring IL, still there must be
allure because so many of the presidents
'wn party are violently against it.
But there is no administration party in
he senate. A little group of cuckoos. as
hey are called, number only four or fiv,
nen. IL Mr. Cleveland had been able to
reserve even the semblance of an admin
stration party in the senate, the treaty
ould now be ratified. The real friends OF
he administration In the senate are the
His enemies are found with.
n his own party.
A careful review of this second term OF
lr Cleycland's will show that what has
cen his fate in the matter of the treaty
as been his tate in every other important ,
iatter urged by him. He has been snub. ,
ed right and left and with as much vigor :
hen he has not deserved it as where he
rs.
The Closing Days.
IL must bo admitted likewise that the I
yo foreign policies which Mr.. Cleveland c
personally responsible for were both ilas
'es. |,
OF the Hawaiian matter 10 is unneces. !.
ry To say anything ut this late day. save !,
at Mr.. Cleveland and the late Judge :.
rcsham were actuatcd by high but i'm. VI
actical motives. They attempted tn in. ii
oduco equity into international relations =
post facto cquity--in manner not com.
tible either with modern ideas or di.
omacy or contcmporancous public scnti.
ont u
lt Is somewhat dramatic that during III
ESQ closing days of Mr.. Clcvclands ad. 'e
inistration the dusky queen Of Hawaii w
ould bob up here In an opera bouffo style. W
'rking for a pension from this govern. -