Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-20

have been four memorable years. To re-
publicanS they show record of promises
kept, of work done, of unforeseen questions
| met and answered. To the democrats they
have been generous in the exhibition of I'M
fulfilled predictions, in the ruin OF their
hopes of calamity, and in further opposi-
ton to the forces of the times and the as
pirations of the American people
l wish l could add that they had been
equally instructive to our opponents but
while it is true that the democrats, like the
bourbons. learn nothing, it is only too evil
dent that the familiar comparison cannot
which it would be well for them to remem-
Der. :.
When Cleveland Went Out.
In 1897 we took the government and the
country from the hands Of President Cleve-
land. The party had abandoned him and
were Joined TO their idols, of which he
was no longer one. During the last years
of his term we had presented to us the
melancholy spectacle Of a President trying
to govern without party. The result was
that his policies were in ruin, legislation
was at standstill and public affairs were
in a perilous and incoherent condition.
Party responsibility had vanished and with
it all possibility of intelligent action, de-
manded by the country at home and abroad.
1t was an interesting but by means sin
gular display of democratic unfitness for
the practical work of government. To the
political student it instructive, to the
country It was extremely painful, to bust
ness disastrous.
We replaced this political chaos with a
President in thorough accord with his party
and the machinery of government began
again to move smoothly and effectively.
Thus We kept at once our promise of better
and more efficient administration. In four
months after the Inauguration of President
Mckinley we had passed a tariff bill. For
ten years the artificial agitation, in behalf
of what was humorously called tariff re-
form. and of what was really free trade
had kept business in a ferrnent, and had
brought a treasury deficit. paralyzed indus
tries, brought depression and panic, and
finally continuous bad times to degree
never before imagined.
Would you know the result of our tariff
legislation, look about you! Would YOU
measure its success, recollect that it is no
longer an issue: that our opponents
make it an issue; that there Is not a state in
the Union today which could be carried for
free trade against protection. Never was
policy more fully justified by it's works;
never was q promise made by any party
more absolutely fulfilled
Monetary System Remodeled.
Dominant among the Issues of four years
ago was that Of our monetary and finan-
cial system. The republican party prom
ised to uphold our credit, to protect our
currency from revolution and to maintain
the gold standard We have done So We
nave uOne more. we nave been better
than our promise. Failing to secure. after
honest effort, any encouragement for in
ternational bimetallsm, we have passed a
law strengthening the gold standard and
planting it more firmly than ever in our
financial system. improving our banking
laws, buttressing our credit and refunding
the public debt at per cent interest, the
lowest rate in the world. 1t was a great
work well done. The only argument the
democrats can advance today in their own
behalf on the money question is that a re-
publican Senate, in the event of demo-
cratic success, would not permit the repeal
argument when looked at with considerable
eyes, and quite worthy of the intellects
which produced it. Apply 1t generally.
Upon this theory because we have de-
feated the soldiers of Spain and sunk her
ships we can with safety dispense with the
army and the navy which did the work.
A Practical Example.
Take another example,: There has been
a fire in great city; 1t has been checked
and extinguished, therefore let us abolish
the fire department and cease to insure our
homes. Distrust IN our currency. the
dread Of change, the deadly fear of a de-
based standard raging year ago and
business lay PROSTATE before them. The
republican supremacy and republican legis-
lation have extinguished the fires of doubt
plant from the ashes. Therefore abolish
your fire department. turn out the republic
cans and put in power the incendiaries
who lighted the flames and trust to what
remains of republican control to avert fresh
disaster. The proposition is its own refu-
tation. The supremacy Of the party that
has saved the standard of sound money
and guarded it by law Is as necessary for
its security and for the existence of honest
wages and of business confidence now as 1t
was In 1896. The moment the republican
party passes from power and the party of
free silver and paper comes in stable cur
rency and the gold standard, the standard
of the civilized world, are in imminent and
deadly peril. Sound currency and a steady
standard of value are today safe only in
republican hands.
But there were still other questions In
1896. We had already thwarted the eff
forts of the Cleveland administration to
throw the Hawaiian Islands back to their
dethroned queen and to give England
foothold for her cables in the group. We
then said that we would settle finally the
Hawaiian question. We have done so. The
traditional American policy has been car
ried out. The flag of the Union floats to-
day over the crossroads of the Pacific.
Promises to Cuba FULFILLED.
We promised to deal with the Cuban