The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-02-08
FIGHTING THE PRESIDENT.

FIGHTING THE PRESIDENT.
1t is evident so early in the session
that there are members of congress
who have determined to embarrass the
Democratic administration. il they
can possibly do so-and the pity of it
is that some of them are Democrats.
Gen. Grant was accustomed to say
that "the Dem ocratic party could al
ways be relied on to play the fool at
the critical moment" and give victory
to the Republicans. They had done
1t so often in Grants day; they have
done it since Grants day; some of
them are liable to do it in this year
of grace 1916, presidential year as it
is, and critical moment" Let us
hope their number is not large: but
it is persistent and eager The ses-
sion had scarcely opened when they
began to jump on the presidents for
eign policy and to make speeches of
rhedomontade, airing their views Of
international questions and criticis-
ing the way the president is acting
mostly for "home consumption"
OF course senator or representa-
tive has right to debate the admin
istration's policy; but it is mighty
poor policy for Democrats to rush in
and interfere with the delicate du-
ties of he man whom they have placed
at the head of the government, and
to whom he management of foreign
affairs peculiarly belongs. They are
likely to make mess of it
The Democrats have elected two
presidents since 1S56-Cleveland and
Wilson-both men of splendid abili-
ties and far-seeing. 1t is interesting.
and ought to be warning, to read
what Wilson said Of Cleveland in his
History of the American People"
and to see show the situations of the
two are so alike in 1896 and in 1916.
Cleveland was insisting Oh requiring
Spain to establish permanent govern
ment in Cuba; which was then a men
ace to the health and the peace of the
United States-and, which, by the
way, was done few years later
after the Maine was blown up in Ha-
vana harbor and more than two hun
dred American sailors perished in the
catastrophe. The other fight Cleve- |
land was making was for sound mon
ey, and his party fought him on that. (
The money question is not up now:
but there are Democrats who come
forward with knives up their sleeves,
and are demanding, What did you
recognize Carranza for?"-ready to
undo all the president has done to
secure a stable government in our
sister republic. Wonder if the presi- |.
dent does not take down his own
volume five and turn to 252 and read |
over what he wrote five years ago, /
when he. had no idea that he would |.
ever be president of the United States. |
We quote from that:
"Opinion moved very uneasily in
the United States at sight of such
things, and the president had no mind
to ignore them. No one could pre-
tend that it was. or that it ought to be
thing Indifferent to the United
Staes to have chronic rebellion and
suffering thus perpetuated from year
to year in populous island lying at
their very doors, to which the people
were closely bound by trade and all
the intimate intercourse of neighbors. /
Fatal fevers had again and again
crossed the narrow waters out OF
Cuba to the southern portions OF the
United States because the Spaniards
would not look to the proper santa
tion of the great towns which lay by
the islands harbors. and these dis |
tempers of revolution seemed as ill to !
take the wind OF as the fevers them
selves. Mr.. Cleveland spoke very
gravely in his annual message of !
1896 of the necessity Of bringing the |
affairs in Cuba to a final pacification |
and adjustment. The phrases
were guarded. but the meaning was