The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-04
MIR. cLEvELAND's ADMINISTRATION

Today the executive branch OF the
national government passes from tne
hands of Grover Cleveland who has held
it for four years past into this hands Of
the Hon. William Mckinley. Mr. Cleve-
land was swept into Office by a tidal wave
almost as strong as that which four yours
later. made Mr.. Mckinley his successor.
ThsstariH was the issue, and the people
who four years before han pronounced in
and declared apparently III favor Of
tariff for revenue only. With the cleo
ton of Mr.. Cleveland came also the cleo
ton of Demo cratic Senate and House
of Representatives. and complete control
of the executive and legislative branches
of the government by the Democratic
party. For the first time since the war
the entire responsibility for the conduct
of the government was placed upon the
shoulders Of that party. Immediately
it began to place it's tariff policy
en- the statute book of the nation.
to reveal the fact that there
wasla wide difference of opinion among
the representatives of Democracy as to
what constituted tariff reform. The
declaration of the platform had been
clear enough, but the number of Demo-
cratic representatives who were sprepared
to live mp to that programme was very
small. After much wrangling and not
little neutrality-suspicious. measure was
agreed upon, on to which was tackled an
income tax. MIR. Cleveland pronounced
it "perfldy and dishonor' and refused
to sign it. 1t became a law, however,
without his signature and everybody
knows the result. The income tax was
dsclaredss Unconstitutional by the Supreme
Court, and the rest of the measure. has
never produced income sufficient for the
support of the government. AS revenue
measure it proved an signominious fail
ure but az measure for tho destruction
of American industry and business 1t
proved a great success. Its vretched
effect upon the country has weaned the
majority Of the Democratic party from
free trade or anything very nearly ap-
preaching it. To all intents and purposes
the Democrats abandoned that doctrine
in the last campaign. confessed that
their tariff law had been failure and
sought to retain their grip upon the gov
eminent by an appeal to class prejudices.
On the tariff matter Mr.. Cleveland was
as deep in theSmud as his party was in
the mire. His complaint against the
Wilson tariff law was that it did not put
the knife in.deeply enough.
But while Mr.. Cleveland shares with
his Notwithstanding forIall the ills
that have proceeded from Democratic
revenue legislation his skirts are clear
of all the responsibility for the still
greater ills consequent upon its constant
and repeated threats and attempts to
dsbase the currency. 10 his credit be 1t
said Mr.. Cleveland has stood like rock
against the majority Of his party in their
efforts to substitute silver for gold in
the currency OF the country. Few men
would have had the frmness and courage
to resist the demands of an overwhelm-
ing majority of their party, as Mr.. Clsve-
upon his head such as no President ever
before received from bis own party, he
has been almost deserted by the repre-
sentative men Of that party in both
houses of Congress, yet be has never
flinched in what he conceived to be his
duty to the people. B ut for his f1rmness
the country in all probability would
be on silver basis today, Its
credit would be wrecked and it's
honor furnished. The debt Of gratitude
which the country owes him is great
one. and when the passion and rrejudices
of the present hour have passed away
and his career AZ chief executive Of this
nation is viewed in the light Of impartial
history the great service which he rem
dered to his country at most critical
period in it's history will be recognized by