The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-03-30
Three Weird Sisters.

There is something altogether uncan-
ny in the preposterousness of that trinity
of Mugwump papers, the New York
Euening Post, Boston Herald and
Springfield Republican, particularly
when Grover Cleveland is the subject
of their editorial lamentations.
Recently the Evening Post, writing
of the emergency appropriation of $780,
DOC, 900 for the national defense, made
it clear to its own satisfaction that Mr..
Cleveland was "the real hero of the
OCCASION" in that, foreseeing the flu
ture, he had borrowed 800, 100000
during his administration, and that in
consequence of this borrowing the
money was in the treasury to meet the
existing emergency. None but the
most weird of the Mugwump trinity
could have evolved this notion from
its ratified brain. 1t had been common
ly supposed that Mr.. Cleveland, as
president, had borrowed some $780,
100000 to replenish the gold reserve.
He said this was the reason for obtain
ing the loans. But, if this member of
the Mugwump sisterhood is to be trust
ed, he had in view precisely the emer-
gency that is now confronting this
country-and if any body disputes the
statement that the money in the treas
ury which was covered by this appro-
priation was the residue of Mr.. Cleve.
lands patriotic tinanciering, why then,
in the gentle phrase of the sweet sister,
he lies. This authority on human iron
clads declared further that Mr.. Cleve-
land has been worth to the country
"more than half dozen battleships, y
and the New York Sun goes this esti-
mate of the defensive strength of
Grover one better: "Better than
half dozen bsttleships7 We should
say so. Such a statesman is worth
more to us-more than half dozen
lighthouse tenders armed with ten inch
demijohns."
Another of the uncanny trio, the Re
publican, descants with JUNCTION on
"McKinley's Inheritance from Cleve-
land"-the inheritance of "good for
tune" in his predecessors handling of
the Cuban question. The Cleveland
'handling' Of the Cuban question
was the twin of his handling of the
Hawaiian question, which he attempted
to solve by re-imposing upon the
Hawaiians the barbarian queen whose
policy, as declared to Mr. Cleveland's
own agent, in the event of her restora-
tion, would be to cut the heads off OF
such people she disliked and confiscate
their property. BY course of action
that was in painful contrast with his
Venezuelan policy, Mr.. Cleveland al
lowed the Cuban question to drift into
desperate straits and then sheuldered
its handling off on to his successor.
Had Mr.. Cleveland done his duty as
faithfully and with the same spirit as in
the Venezuelan matter, the Cuban
question to-day might be settled, or on
the highway to successful adjustment,
and without involving this country in
war. President Mckinley received a
very large legacy of similar "good for
tune" from his predecessor.
The lachrymose and sometimes by
sterical, but always self sufficient and
complacent, sister of Boston, is ever
and anon casting into the bubbling
cauldron of Mugwump "hell-broth"
some bit of misery as toothsome as
"eye of newt or toe of frog" or some
other internal ingredient of the witches
consomme. Sometimes it is "blind-
worms sting" of the President or some
Cuban sympathizer, or advocate of Ha-
waiian annexation, and sometimes an
ladders fork" thrust at Gomez or the
Cuban patriots as body, or President
Dole and the American colony in Hon.
olulu. The administration is right, and
praised, only when it appears to be
continuing in the footsteps of Mr..
Cleveland. In leaders of "learned
length" the public is ever reminded that
days, months, or years ago the COM