Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-10-31
The First and Second Cleveland Ad-
rr,njstrations.

The Lewiston sun, in a recent edi-
toIiaf. IN undertaking to explain away
the hard times of the second Cleveland
administration. spoke of President
Harrison administration in 1898 "a
nearly bankrupt treasury inasmucll
as 1.-The surplus for that gear was only
over $1,000, 0O0" We ventured to Call
its attention to the fact, which had APP
parently escaped it's attention. that
President Harrison's administration re-
duced the bonded debt of the country
500 100000. and suggested that the fact
that he was able to make this splendid
debt paying record. and still go out of
office with q surplus OF more than
$:,0O0.OOO was not, after all, very bad
showing for "a nearly bankrupt treas
ury." We also called it's attention 10
the fact that the Cleveland administra-
ton. which succeeded that of Mr..
Harrison. increased the bonded debt Of
the la"t three years of its service, while
til" Wilson tariff law was in force.
treasury deficits were piled up amount
ing tc the tidy little sum of Sl0J. $780,
101
Tire Sun comes back at US as follow s:
But the Journal differs With uS as
To the issue on which Mckinley WaS
elected, and calls attention to the re-
duCtion of debt under the Harrison
administration and the increase in the
debt under the Cleveland administra-
toI.
First. the finances of the Harrison
administration
Well. first. against that surplus of
a little over $2,0C0000 for 1893. the last
year of the Harrison administration.
there WAS in 1889. the last year OF the
first Cleveland administration. a sur
plus II more than sos 100000
Next the reduction Of the debt. In
1885 the interest heafing debt was
1929. s53.990. In 1893 it was $685.. OF
100. Showing Il reduction of Szi4.Si6.-
500 in the interest-bearing debt. But
the total debt less cash in the treas
ury was s?75.939.750 in 1889: and in
1893 it was 1888 .969.47o. showing a
net reduction in the debt of 1861 :
2.5. Compare that with the net reduc-
ton of the debt in the first Cleveland
administration of $500 ,412 ,693-it was
little more than a third as much
Heretofore the discussion has dealt
wholly with the SECOND Cleveland
administration. and now the Sun. with
ameznS agility. Jumps it to the
FIRST Cleveland administration We
admit that We are somewhat dazzled
by the CELEBRITY and acrobatic cleverness
of this leap into green fields and pas
lures new We do not blame cur
contemporary for 1t however Indeed
We frankly admit that this startling
change of base was fully justified by
the facts of the situation. Having
carefully looked over the second Cleve-
land administrat ton, in the light of the
data which we supplied it with. it evil
IDENTIFY concluded that it was too rotten
to nail to. and wisely decided to switch
the discussion into Il more favorable
period.
We therefore learn that during MIR
CIev"land's FIRST term things were
much different. This administration
certainly maze n much more favora BILE
showing than did Mr.. Cleveland's sec
ond one. We would. however call the
attention of the Sun to the fact that
during the FIRST Cleveland admins
tration the Republicans were in con-
troll of the United States Senate. and
that this very crcditable showing
which he then made was accomplished
under Republican laws. The Mckin-
ley tariff law, Il wise protective meas
| ure formulated under the immediate
supervision of the great statesman
whose name it bore. was in force dur
ing the whole of Mr.. Clevelands first
| administration. and it is very crafty
| ing to have the sun give such fatter-
ing testimony to its efticicncy-to learn.
| that under its beneficcnt operation. the
! Cleveland administration was not only
| able to maintain a handsome treasury
| surplus. but. also to make a reduction
of s399.412, 693 in the national debt How
| fortunate it would have been for Mr..
\ Cleveland if these highly creditab BILE
conditions could have prevailed during
Il
| alas things were different then. At
that time the Democratic party was i'll
| power in both branches of Congress.
| here was nothing 10 prevent the in
auguration of its policies The in
| famous Wilson tariff law was passed,
| and the nation was forced tc suffer an
era of unparalleled hard times. MeIan-
chOly indeed is the record of that second
administration. conducted for the most
part under the Wilson law. as COM