The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-07-18
The New York Times Supports Cleveland.
The New York Times. Rep,)

With Grover Cleveland as its candidate
the Democratic party appeals with un>
mistakable directness to the moral sense
of the people of the United States. Shall
the next President be a man who has
weakly yielded to temptation or man
who has unswervingly adhered to the
right against powerful enticements to do
wrong? A man who begs pecuniary re-
wards of those his official action has en-
riched, or one who deties corrupt dicta-
ton and seeks by just courses to deserve
the approval of right thinking men? A
candidate attacked impeached, tainted
and besmirched all over or a candidate
beyond reproach, Grover Cleveland,
whom honest men respect, or james G.
Blaine, whom rogues love. This is the
supreme issue. 1t is this which the voters
of the republic are to decide 1t is not
the issue of protection; free trade has
nothing to do with it; there is no admix-
ture of foreign policy Or the want of for
eign policy; insecure professions can not
be put aside; the glare of boosted torch
light brilliancy will not outshine it. The
sober sense of an intelligent electorate,
the honest convictions and the patriotism
of ten millions of voters are appealed to,
and they will settle this matter conclu>
sively and for the right. 1t is not only
in what he clearly represents, but in what
he distinctly opposes, that Grover Cleve-
land is strong before the American peo>
pie, HIS career has made HIM the expo
nent of clean and honest politics. In the
administration of public trusts he has
shown that he is superior to partisan bias,
indifferent to such party interest as are in
conflict with official probity and the pub
lie welfare. He has been severely tried
by the important and responsible post he
now occupies. He has resisted the impor-
tunlties of designing politicians; he has
defeated the purpose of selfish schemers.
All those members of his own party who
are not absorbed in private aims which
are in conflict with the public good, are
ontspoken in his praise, and he has won the
good opinion of all republicans who are
not so far gone in partisanship as to have
lost the power to commend upright con-
duct in a political adversary. Favored
as he is by the right thinking elements of
both the democratic and republican par
ties, it is n noteworthy and potent advan~
tage TO Grover Cleveland as candidate
that he has incurred the bitter hostility
of the worthless, disreputable and dan
gerous members of his own party.
Tammany hates him. Butler sees no
good in him. Could a candidate have
stronger recommendations than these to
the opinion of voters whose political
opinion is shaped solely by considerations
of the public welfare. The official acts
which have won for Governor Cleveland
the intense hostility of Tammany, are the
very acts which have most strongly
recommended him to the support of indie
pendent republicans. The favor of these
two classes of wholly corrupt and selfish
guerilla contingent within the democratic
party, and of men with whom plain
common sense and the most ordinary form
of political honesty are controlling influ-
enCes no one man, be he ever so skillful
IN the art Of balancing, can hope or wish
| to possess. Grover Cleveland had not
been one month in office as Governor OF
the state of New York before he haC
decided in his own mind and made
plain to others that his official conduct
was to be guided by his own intelligent
| judgemnt of what the public interest
demanded solely, and that is about all the
safe and saving policy for Il president
of the United States. The Times viii
heartily support Gov. Cleveland. Ii
opposing Mr.. Blaine it finds itself already
upon impresnable ground and in excellen
company. 1t has closely watched the
career of the candidate nominated il
Chicago yesterday, aud has entire con
fidence in his probity- in his intelligence
and in his administrative ability. HI
ought to be the next president of thu
United States, and we believe be will be