The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-06-16
CONTRADICTORY CHARGES.
How Democrats Praise the RspHbiieai
When Trying 10 Accuse Them.

When Trying 60 Accuse Them
ST. Louis Globe Democrat Rgp.). II
is amusing to place together the two
leading charges made against the Re-
publican party by the Democratlcpress.
The first Is that the business depression
OF the last four years was caused by
Intent conditions prepared by the he-
nublicans and handed over In 1888. The
second Is that q full tide Of national
prosperity has not appeared during the
second month OF the new Republican
administration. These accusations are
contradictory and damaging excuses.
They not only conflict but Involve a
compliment not intended 49, Tor the
subtlety OF the Republicans IN prepar-
ing a disguised panic and unloading II
upon the Democrats, that - tantastlc
idea I'm to the last month OF the Har-
rlsOn administration the treasury re-
ported a surpluR Then the Democrats
TOOK hold, having been intruHted with
full control OF the government Tor the
hT,st time In more than thirty years. II
Yng their business to avert dull times
and strengthen then the national reVe'
niue. and they should have thanked Tor
tune thdt the difficulties We're only
latent" not yet visible or urgent.
But few months OF untrammeleu
Democratic rule elapsed until the Peo,
pie discovered that the country had
fallen into incapable hands, every
thing went wrong. The national reVe-
nue. fell on, and a heavy deficit APP
reared to take the place OF the long
established surplus. An insufficient
and politically shApeleEs tnrin bill was
Uasged. II had the double fault OF Hi0-
iAtIng the the pledge Of the party pat
form and OF failing 20 meet current ex-
penses. The Industries OF the country
lnnguished, business confidence was
lost aud new ventures postponed;
From this state OF Generalization anu
distress sprang q revolutionary Deul-
OCratic fusion and altnrh upon .ne
standard OF values. threatening to re-
duce II One-hRlf. Here was Pandoras
box with 4 vengeance. and yet the
Democratic explanation is that the He
publlcans had laid trap years before.
WHY the Democrats failed TO avoid
ali traps IL not cleared up. II II
imperatlve that a party In full control
should Ut least have TINT much gump-
ti0n.
on the 9Th Of Marcia little more than
three months ago the Republican party
took charge In Washington OF a iaIse
assortment OF Democratic debts, dehc-
It's, complications anu tuAAA $685.
ties, and at the same moment, the DEM
ocrats demanded Immediate good times.
Mr.. Bryan Is reported 70 have recently
asked acruwd, Have you seen the Gem
eral7" In reply to the query, " .lat
General?" his reply was, why. General
Prosperity" In less than ninety days
the Republicans are expected to restore
the country to buoyHnt conditions.
They have never failed heretofore to do
IL In due time. Whatever OF statesman
shin and courage was necessary they
have supplied They are now engaged
in fr5Lming the sort OF tariff they are
pledged TO- which is not precisely where
the Democrats showed one Of their va
rletles OF bad faith. The Inheritance
from the Democrats is not in the form
OF Latent" evils. They are numerous,
positive and pressing. But the Repub-
lican party expects to make short work
OF them on this as on former occasions.