Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-10-30
Cleveland & His Administration

extract or two:
"Cleveland's record as q President
stands out as exceptionally great in
several particulars. About LIST Of
December, 1887, when Congress was
just about to meet, | spent several
hours with him, in company with
John q. Carlisle. 1t was Saturday
evening, and Congress was to meet
on the following Monday aud elect
Carlisle Speaker of the House. He
exhibited his memorable tariff mes"
sage that cost HIM his reelection,
and although Carlisle was an ardent
tariff refOrmer, while | was much
more of protectionist, We both very
earnestly appealed to him to change
the message, not because it did not
state what was true and what the
country should know, but because it
would certainly defeat him the fol.
lowing year for reelection. That
state paper, it will be remembered,
although the regular annual message
of the President, discussed but sin
gle question, that of the tariff. thus
emphasizing the conviction of the
President that all other national is
sues were secondary TO the question
of reduction of taxes and expendi-
lures There was large surplus in
the Treasury. large portion of
which was needlessly exacted from
the industry, trade, and commerce
of the people, and the large revenues
had logically created proHigacy
Cleveland believed it to be his duty
to call halt, and while he confessed
that it could impair bis chances for
reelection, shall never forget the
quiet tirmness with which he declar
ed that it was duty that he should
perform to the nation. and this il
must be performed regardless of per
son consequences TO himself The
message was delivered Just as he had
prepared 1t, and while up 20 that time
the Republican dealers cherished
little or no hope of defeating Cleye
lands reelection, from that time on
his defeat seemed to be assured.
"Cleveland's party was controlled
IN both branches by the cheap money
sentiment. but he rose to the occasion
and promptly and emphatically mott.
fed Congress that the national credit
must be maintained. Fortunately
he had authority to sell bonds to
maintain the gold reserve, but those
bonds were payable in coin which
might be constructed to mean either
silver or gold, and the 4 per cent. is
sue would have been as acceptable
on the market as a 3 per cent gold
bond. He earnestly appealed to
Congress to authorize the issue of
gold bonds to maintain the national
credit, showing that if he were com
PEELED to sell per cent. coin bonds
the loss to the Treasury would
amount to nearly $2O,OOO,OOO. Con
gress turned deaf ear to his appeal.
and he resolutely maintained the
credit of the republic by selling
bonds in face of a Congress that
could be Justly olassed as inclined to
repudiation, and maintained the
credit of the country in the front
rank Of the civilized nation of the
world.
again, when anarchy came in
Chicago and life and property be
came playthings of a mob inspired
by organized anarchists who had the
sympathy of the Governor of State,
and the commerce and mails of the
nation were halted by violence, Cleve-
land came to the front, and in a sin
gle order of few lines effaced for
ever the last dregs of State sovereign
ty that would make the safety of the
commerce of the nation dependent
upon the power of a State. 1t is
just what Harrison would have done,
but it would have been in accord
with the teachings of Harrison's
party. Cleveland did it against the
teachings of his own party, and es
tablished the policy of supreme ma
tional authority that can never be
departed from while the repu bile
lives. These acts of Cleveland were
simply in accord with the establish
ed purposes of his life, and he stands
before the country and the world to-
Dor, ;,o, h. e