Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1887 — NOT A SUCCESS. [ARTICLE]

NOT A SUCCESS.

Senator* Edmunds an J Hale Dednvethe t Administration an Ignominious Failure. Tho Vermont Senator'* Views. f From u Washington Star interview.! Speaking of the administration. Senator Edmunds says: “In all frankness, I must say I do not think it has been a success. Whatever the desires and intentions of those at .the head of affairs may have been, it was impossible for them to follow out a successful policy with the weight of a party so composed upon their shoulders. With such a brood field of administration the President must have others to rely on for assistance, but placing reliance in his party must inevitably lead him astray. With the tremendous pressure of the party Itehina him he has been forced into numerous errors. All Presidents, perhaps, have ma le some bad appointments, but none. I think, have been betrayed as often ns he has in a parte composed of meu who honestly beliive that the interests of the conntry demands thatthev should have control of affairs.' I do not question their honesty in this opinion who think that the end justifies the means- the party workers. The meu who have worked iu the wards and bulldozed nnd stuffed the ballot boxes and claim the rewards are not suitable to perform a public trust. A large percentage of Mr. Cleveland’s appointees have been either incompetent or improper persons; or, being competent, have been rascals. Some of these men he has selected without knowing anything about them; others he has appointed upon the indorsement of members of Congress , of his own party, who have not hesitated to betray bis confidence. With some work a table of -appointments could be made which would show an immense proportion of rascals. Ido not say that it would amount to a majority, but certainly none of Mr. Cleveland's predecessors were as o.ten betrayed. He fans been pulled both ways between his civilservice reform pledges and tho party pressure. Sometimes he has appeared to hold! to one and sometimes to yield to the other. He seems to stand half-way between the two. One day helms declared that a good official who was a Republican should not be disturbed. At another time, ho haa yielded to tremendous party pressure - in something else. But there are Republicans still in office, and I think we should give him credit for what he has done. As in the case of the preacher who was good four days in the week and went oft’ on a lark for two days, we should give him credit for the good there is in him.” “Do you think the Democrats will renominate him?” “Yes; there is no one else they could run*-witli any chance of success. They can’t nominate anyone, else and hope to succeed.” “Would he hold the Republican votes he got before?” “As between two evils they would vote for him. Though he has not lived up entirely to What they understood to be his promises, they may not see Low he could have done belter with his party,- and they may not see where they will find another who would do as well.” “What do you think of the chances of the Republican party in 1888?” “Believing that the Republican party represents tlie best principles of government, and having confidence iu thejutelli-, gence of the people and their ability to discriminate, I expect the Republicans tobe restored to power.” Senator Hale Indulges in Some Plain Talk. (New York Tribune interview.! When asked about the general result of the session of Congress, Senator Hale said: “Theie are two things that have been shown very clearly and stand out distinctly above everything else. One is the niter lack of administrative and legislative faculty on tho part of the-Democratic party, in the first place, and, secondly, the unpatriotic attitude of the Democratic party. It entirely failed iu everything relating to fiscal and| financial legislatiou. Everybody in the country knows that to be the fact, but it could be seen in Washington even more plainly than elsewhere. There was no cohesion iu the party. The administration had no plans or policy of any kind. The leaders in the House had no plans. The leaders in the Senate were equallv without plans. There was nothing that even looked like united action between.the. leaders of the several parfs of the Democratic organization. They did not agree on the tariff, nor on silver, nor upon the treatment of she surplus, nor upon any method of the dis ribution of the surplus by appropriations among the people. “The administration recommended very little for the consideration of Congress. It was apparently given over to the consideration of small things, petty details, and minor matters, let'ing the large affairs of government go. It appeared to have no grasp of the broad ffnesrions'ODfttate'Smansbip. Whenever it made resommeudations it was snubbed, both in the Hotts'e and the -Senate, by ihe Democratic members. This was true on every measure of legislation affecting the business of the country. When we come to the other subject the unpatriotic attitude of the party 3 was displayed by the entire indifference to every measure that affected the national defense and security; On thostri ’ measures it was in pronounced hostility. The President recommended nothing to put the country in a condition of safety; either in respect to the naval establishment or for harbor defenses or for coast fortifications. The House put a veto on everything attempted in this direction. The singular spectacle was presented of the minority—that is, the opposition, aud not the administration—presenting and framing aud pa-sing through the Republican Senate all the measures that tended to national security and defense. This was all the more significant became the moneys appropriated by such legislation were lodged in the hands of tho Democratic administration for expenditure aud the moneys would have been expended by the Democrats; yet the bills failed to become laws because of the opposition of the administration and its adherents in the two branches of Congress. I expect- especially this unpatriotic attitude of the Democratic party and its indifference to national, security and national honor, will become thoroughly understood by the people during the next year, and will become a prominent feature for discussion, in the next Presidential election. There is >%ry little hopefulness in the minds of the Democratic leaders in Congre-s as to the future. They have'very little confidence in the administration.” v Congressman Henderson's Impression*. Congressman D. B. Henderson, of Dubuqne, lowa, in an interview at Chicago said Gov. Hill, of New York, can go to the National Convention in 1888 with the entire Democratic delegation. “I claim that Cleveland is weaker to-day than he was a year ago, and I see no reason: why in 1888 the Republican party cannot march to victory with a man like Allison or John Sherman at the head. Either can cany New York, as both are leaders in our finances— New York’s “hobby.” I feel the general spirit among Re pub icans is to sacrifice selfinterest for party in the choice of a candidate for President."