The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-14
A Glance at the Record.

When. in 1884, Mr.. Cleveland was first
elected President he went into office un-
der reasonably favorable business condl-
tics. Mr.. Arthur had proved safe and
conservative man in his conduct OF public
affairs, the greenback delusion was at an
end and the silver lunacy had not then
risen to a point which in any great de-
gree threatened the financial security of
our country. Mr.. Cleveland made it clear
Nv understood even before he was inau-
gurated, that the free coinage of silver
notion had no aid to expect from him.
and during his term he was able to re-
sist the attacks of the currency raiders
and keep the industrial affairs Of the ma
ton in a healthful condition.
With the incoming of his successor,
President Harrison, decided change
took place Mr.. Window signalized his
entrance into the Treasury Department
by an unspoken advocacy of the silver
cause which was echoed by Mr.. Foster
when he succeeded him. The treasury
was pilaged by extravagant pension
measures, and hence, in place of the over
whelming treasury surplus which Mr..
Cleveland had left as barrier against
possible adverse financial conditions, there
was little or nothing on hand to meet
the storm of financial distrust which the
Republican administration had encour-
pressed. and those who were weather
wise in such matters had little trouble
in discerning that the time had come to
take in SAIL and that for a while indus
trial prosperity was at end.
Then came the second election of Mr..
Cleveland, who found that the first duty
which awaited him. If he would defend
the financial integrity of the nation, was
to cut down the tares that had been sown
| in our currency wheat during the four
years that had interviewed since his de-
parture from the White House. Called
forth by this forcible opposition, came
the aggressive vigor on the part of the
free silver men, who had belisyed that
complete victory was almost within their
| grasp, and in this way we had precipitat-
| ed upon this country that terrible indus
trial stagnation made inevitable by the
| want of financial confidence.
| Was this Mr.. Cleveland's fault? If the
conclusions of history can in any possible
| degree be foreseen, it will be found that
its verdict will acquit Mr.. Clevead of
the larger part. if not all, of the indus
trial distress which characterized quite a
| part of his last term of office, and will
place the responsibility for this where 1t
| belongs, upon the administration which
| preceded his. But historic judgment is
| not popular judgment, and hardly day
| passes that some allusion is not made to
the frightful condition of affairs brought
| about by Mr.. CleveIand's free trade leg
| islation, although Mr.. Wilson's tariff bill
was about as mild a measure of reform
| in that direction as could possibly have
| been drawn.
The Democrats had to bear the respon-
sibility for the sins of the Republican
administration and a Republican Con-
| gress. The chances are that. if the
Democrats were to elect majority In
the next House of Representatives, they
would also have to bear the responsibility
for the probable decline in industrial pros
] perity which, for a variety of reasons, is
| likely to make it's influence felt before
the next two years are over. If next
| winter or next summer the extraordinary
conditions we have recently experienced
| in the line of industrial activity should
| come to an end-and this may we'll be
| through overspeculation or losses OF for
| eign markets through the unwilhngness
| of the party in power to negotiate trade
| treaties-and If this industrial decline
| We're accompanied by the success OF the
| Democrats in electing a majority to the
House of Representatives. the country
would he told by the Republicans that
| that political change was what had been
| the cause of business disaster. So long
| as the Republicans had a ma
| jority everything, it would be said, went
| WELL while just so soon as the Demo-
Gratis succeeded in getting a majority
| in the lower branch of Congress bust
ness distress Immediately began; hence
the plain lesson to be learned was to
avoid giving the Democrats any chance
| of success in 1904. 1t will be, we believe,
no more than prudent for the Democrats
| to give the Republicans during the next
two years entire official and political re-
sponsibilty for all that may happen in
this country. They cannot help matters
| in the least by controlling the lower
branch of Congress; but they can. We
| have just shown, have forced upon them
| the duty of acting as scapegoats for Re
publican shortcomings If they are prd-
| dent. and particularly If they realize how
| much such experiences have cost them
in the past, they will not make strenuous
efforts 10 deprive their Republican oppo-
nents of what is just now a possession
of highly questionable advantage