The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-31
Four Years Ago and Now.

Four years ago at this time GROVER
CLEVELAND was President OF the United
States. The condition as to business was
unsatisfactory and the outlook disquieting;
but the prevailing political discussion OF
the time was Of trivial consequence. 1t was
not able to comprehend the magnitude OF
the grave problems before tho country.
Whatever other forecast OF evil clouded
business enterprise, there was no sign in
any such circles and none in those ofpolitics,
that the coming OF the storm OF the
momentous campaign of 1896 was even i'm
agined as possible. Neither was there any
such discernment OF the indications pointing
to war with Spain, though the Cuban situa-
tion was already perilously critical The
prospect Of it had not yet entered into the
calculations Of anybody on the exchanges
or at the seat OF Government BRYAN was
an unknown man; his name nowhere
appeared In the newspapers.
The resolute free-silver sentiment OF the
Democratic party had long been made
manifest, and it was making ready to fill
the Chicago Convention with delegates
representative Of it. but no premonition
OF the disaster OF its absolute dominance Of
the National Democracy had yet come to Mr..
CLEVELAND and his adulatory coterie.
They were all looking forward, rather, to
his nomination for third term. Even up
to few weeks before the Chicago Conven-
ton they were confident Of controlling its
currency declaration. 1t was obvious that
Mr.. CLEVELAND was already powerless In
his party, and movement in it to throw
of the incubus OF responsibility for his pol
to-. nj i,nn, itaII
nor any Of his chosen friends suspected It,
The Democratic party was going down
steadily to ruin, but they were blind to the
signs Of the swift-coming disaster. The
really great and momentous questions
before this country had escaped their
attention while they were pottering over
trivial and superficial matters.
1t was the lull before the storm, but the
storm cleared the air and invigorated the
public mind. When we compare the petty
politics of four years ago with the serious
ness and magnitude OF the questions which
now elevate all political discussion, how
mean and poor seems the trifling and insin-
cere politics OF those days! How much
larger we are now than then! 1t is like the
passage from infancy to maturity. II you
want confirmation OF this, look over the
files Of the important newspapers Of four
years ago. You will be astonshed at tho
rapid development, political and intellect
ual, which has occurred since the 31st Of
August, 1895.
The American people are never going
back to the childish politics OF those days
to their insncerty, their shallowness,
their false pretence. their magnifying Of
the petty and their narrowness Of view.
They have come upon a time when they
have great things to think about, and
the intellectual development such thought
has produced in them will never again be
satisfied with the relatively puny exercise
Of those days
AS 1t was four years ago, so now we
are approaching the year Of n Presidential
but there is not now as there
was then blindness as to the issues which
are gathering for it. Everybody sees
clearly what they are to be. Four years
ago square campaign by either party for
the preservation OF the gold standard
OF political possibility. The Republi-
cans were Quibbling over the question,
and when nine months later, they met
III National convention at st. Louis, so
great was the terror of it that many Of the
delegates and some Republican news
papers were aghast at even a proposition
to mention the word gold. Now all bust
ness moves on in absolute confidence that
the next Republican National Convention
will plainly demand the preservation OF the
single gold standard. No such declara-
ton, OF course, is expected from tho
Democrats. but they will not be able to
play fast and loose with the question.
The time for cheap and childish political
trickery Of that sort has passed by. 1t
is the same with the issues growing out Of
the war with Spain. They will be made
squarely and boldly.
Concidently with this marvellous moral
and intellectual growth, and consequent
upon It, there has been corresponding
material growth and development. Every
thing is bigger in its proportions and its
promise.
The Date OF tho Democratic National