The herald., 1898-10-04
IN EXTREMIs

gers OIL the 3. u P' are SAdsPiH6 a. SNSAy
straw that floats within their reach.
however fragile and delusive 1t may be-
| Strange as it may seem, orators of that
party are actually going about pro-
nouncing encomiums upon Grover Cleve-
land.
During his term Of Office no president
was ever more roundly and savagely
assailed by an opposition party than was
Grover Cleveland. His message to con-
gress in December, 1887, was a subject
of vituperation by every Republican
newspaper and orator in the land. The
next day Mr.. Blaine made a telegraphic
reply to it from Europe, which was pub
lished and scattered broadcast all over
the country. Mr.. Cleveland was de-
nounced as a free trader-as one who
would destroy American industries and
because he did not use the surplus in
the treasury in buying up bonds instead
of keeping it boarded so that 1t did not
serve the purpose of reducing interest,
circulation.
In his last term he was denounced for
selling bonds to meet emergencies which
it was alleged might have been met by
legislation providing more revenue. The
embarrassment to the government was
charged to the free trade Wilson law, to
which Mr.. Cleveland refused to attach
his signature because there was too
much of the protective principle in it..
He allowed 1t to become a law by not
vetoing it within the time limited by
the constitution.
What is most curious of all, the ma
tional Republican convention at Chicago
in 1888 denounced the Democratic party,
whose candidate Mr.. Cleveland had be-
come for a second time, in the following
resolution:
The Republican party is in favor of
the use of both gold and silver as
money, and condemns the policy Of the
Democratic administration In Its ef-
forts to demonetize silver.
Notwithstanding all this, the present
administration used all its power to
force through congress a bill granting
authority to issue bonds, and did issue
$500, ,0O0, 900, when there was no emerg-
ency to justify it. Further, 1t Is urging
the complete decentralization of silver,
except the small coins, and the retire.
ment of the greenbacks through fund
ing, which would impose upon the coun-
try an additional interest charge Of
near $10,00O000 per annum, and reduce
the circulating volume $348,00O,000. So
far as the financial policy is concerned
the present administration has gone as
far or further than Mr.. Cleveland ever
contemplated.
1t is because the Republican party has
changed front on the financial question:
that Republican orators feel at liberty
to panegyrize Mr.. Cleveland. There is.
however, another reason, and it is that
the votes of the Cleveland Democrats
are the only grounds of hope for Re-
publican success. The leaders are cry
ing out, Help me Cassius or sink"
How this strategy will please the men
of the party who are honest and respect
consistency, events will disclose. The
somersaults the party has performed
are ground for predicting that. when
the pressure becomes sufficient, its con-
ventions and leaders will praise Cleve-
land for his views on the tariff question
and make them part of the partys
creed. The later conduct of the party
indicates that under stress Of circum-
stances it will resort to whatever may
be deemed essential to success. From a
party of principle it has degenerated into
party of expedients.