The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-03-07
RECORD OF THE
ADMINISTRATION.
New York World.

New YORK World.
The second administration OF Grover
Cleveland will end at noon tomorrow.
Four years ago he was restored TO power
by 4 plurality Of 3s0.slo In the popular
vote and a majority OF ITO In the electoral
college. The house OF representatives
elected at the same time had democratic
plurality Of "a. The coutrol OF the senate
| was also Unexpectedly wrcsted from the re-
publicans.
Tomorrow Mr.. Cleveland will witness the
inauguration Of a republican president
elected by a popular plurality OF soS,ol4
and majority in the electoral college OF
95 The republican plurality in the new
ably control tho senate
1t Is indeed revolution.
The record OF the closing administration
includes some good things accomplished,
come worthy purposes defeated and some
| deplorable mistakes and blunders. For the
good things done Mr. Cleveland is entitled
| to the most Of the credit For the mis-
takes. the blunders and the evil doings the
| responsibility Is wholly his. No president
! ever made his administration SO purely
| personal, none ever rejected the advice OF
| his own party's leaders or alienated the
| men who should naturally be the counsel
| Tors OF an administration as he has done.
From the hour OF his inauguration he
| has wrapped hiNself In cloak OF e1agger-
| ated self-esteem and repclled the approach
| to his person oven OF senator's who are,
under the constitution, part OF the exec
utive branch of the government SEN
N.azl
| fortnight ago that there are not six sen
ators in the chamber who can go to the
White House upon any mission whatever
without being made to feel that they are
unwelcome."
Mr. Cleveland came into office upon
pledge to enforce the anti-trut laws,
which his predecessor had shamefully neg
lected to execute. So prominent was this
promise Of reform as reason for his cleo
ton that he deemed ii appropriate In his
inaugural address to repeat and empha-
size it. Yet with this promise fresh upon
his lips he appointed Richard Olney. the
hired attorney of the Whisky trust. to be
the chief law officer Of the government
This was Mr. Clevcland's initial blunder,
and fatal one. Mr.. Olnoy was distinct
lively n corporation and trust attorney. He
had In writing and in print declared his
contempt for the antitrust law and his
conviction that no such law could be con
stitutonal. Mr.. Cleveland knew. or might
have known. that Richard Olney would
not only make no earnest effort TO enforce
that law, but would do everything in his
power to thwart its purpose.
sand when a vacancy occurred at the head
of the cabinet he rewarded Olneys con-
temptuous betrayal OF trust. expressed In
~ al trsv mol f,u m
rotary OF state. and appointed another
corporation attorney in his stead
Another capital blunder. committed early
in his administration was the appointment
OF j. j. Van Allen to be minister to Italy
Mr. Van Aliens sole claim TO such an honor
was the fact that he had contributed a
large sum OF money to the campaign fund.
He had never been an active man in any
OF tho duties Of citizenship. He had held
no office. 1t was uncertain whether he
had even troubled himself TO vote. except
for the man to whom he looked for pre-
ferment. His appointment was bitterly re-
sented throughout the country as in effect
the shameless sale OF place for a campaign
fund contribution. Van Allen. more sem
sitive to public opinion than MIR. Cleveland.
at last declined the place. whereupon Mr..
tIeNplanu WIOle anu pupllShcu irt''i VI
defiant contempt for the public protest
against his scandalous appointment.
In the Hawaiian matter he offended the
National sentiment His order to haul
down the American flag and his attempt
TO use the bayonets OF our marines 10 re-
store a preposterous queen to az overturned
throne were acts distinctly hostile to
American Ideas.
When the great Pullman strike occurred
in July, 1894. Mr., Cleveland did his duty
we'll. 1t was the brayest act OF his ad-
ministratlon. He asserted and enforced the
authority Of the government TO maintain
order. to compel the opening oil mail
routes, to repress organized anarchy aud TO
free interstate commerce from the inter-
ference OF a mob.
II is to Mr. Cleyelands credit that he
called an extra session OF congress to stop
panic and disaster by repeating the Shor-
man silver purchase act. He used resoluiely
II the influence which he had not destroyed
to accomplish that greatly benehcent pur-
pose and he accomplished 1t. Never We're
his courage and obstinacy better employed
than In standing resolutely for the "un-
conditional repeal" of that mischievous law.
II is also to Mr.. Cleveland's credit tat
he did what ne could TO secure the passage
of the Wilson tariff bill and TO defeat the
senate combination for its emasculation.
But his failure to accomplish the latter pur-
nose was the direct result Of his policy of
eEostistic scclusion which had alienated the
support of men whose assistance WAS alb
solutely necessary to party union and sue
cess.
The lingo Venezuelan message was q
blunder OF an extraordinary kind. For OBJ
viously partisan purposes. and without any
warrant whatever in international law In
the Monroe doctrine or In common sense,
Mr.. Cleveland startled the country and the
world with a threat of war over a matter
that was absolutely none OF his business
aud thai did moi cnncern ns Ihnrn cnn h.