The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-07-17
ssTbe Enemies He Has Made

Wn0m they nave determined 10 support so
desperately opposed by John Kelly and
Gen. Butler and the men with whom
these are in sympathy. On Thursday
Cen. Bragg, of Wisconsin, himself pub
lie man who long since won the cordial
respect of his opponents, speaking for
the young men of his state, declared
Of Gov. Cleveland: "They love him and
respect him, not only for himself, for his
character, for his integrity and judg-
ment and iron will, but they love him
most for the enemies he has made" He
could not better have expressed the senti-
ment of the great body of republicans
who, with great reluctance and only I'M
der the pressure of stern sense of duty
have determined to reject the candidate
Of their ewn party and support Gov.
Cleveland.
The one obstacle in the way of this &C
ton, which they knew would be just
twice as affective for their purpose as
Withdrawing their votes from Mr. Blaine
or giving them to third candidate, was
the natural and reasonable fear of those
elements in the democratic party which
Kelly and Butler most clearly and COM
pletely represent. The man whose prin-
cipal capital in the vulgar trade of politics
that he follows is his control of the spoils
of Office in this city, was found in ALI
ance with the most CONSPICUOUS and con-
tenIptuous revilerof civil service reform.
The support of neither of them to the
nomination of a democratic candidate
could have been had except by what
they believed to be sufficient pledges that
they would be cared for, their influence
acknowledged, and their low methods
permitted and connived at. When, there
fore, they spent every hour of the sessions
of the convention at Chicago in bitter
and desperate struggle to prevent the
nomination of Gov. Cleveland, they gave
the strongest evidence that could be ask
ed or had that he was a man whom the
Independents could fairly and without
distrust support.
The character and motives of Gov.
ClevelandS enemies, wherever they are
to be found, are the highest testimonials
to his real worth. Every man of them
went to Chicago to fight him with per-
sonal grievance. By his signature to and
active support of the reform bill at AL
bany, and particularly the bill depriving
the board of Alderman of the power of
confirming or rejecting the nominations
Of the mayor, he had delivered telling
and probably fatal blow to Tammany
Hall and all its leaders and followers.
1t was this power which has enabled
Kelly in times past to maintain his ar
my of mercenaries, and to sell their SER
vices over and over again to the oppon-
ents of his own party. 1t was this which
had given him the bases of those deals
with the republican machine that have
caused so much decentralization and cor
ruption in the ranks of professional poll
ticians in the republican party, and Civ
en- rise to many of the evils against
which the independents are now in open
revolt. 1t was this power over the patron
age of the departments that had at one
and the same time paralyzed the efforts
Of the honest citizens of New York TO
secure decent management of their
municipal affairs, and made difficult
free and honorable management of the
republican party organization. The in
dependent republicans knew already that
they owed to Gov. Cleveland's frmness,
sagacity, and integrity the first tangible
and valuable victory over the Tammany
sDoilsmen and their allies of the republi-
faction TO them that the Tammany lead
er, with a gang, went to Chicago to pro-
claim openly before the whole country
that the governor enjoyed their hatred,
and SO deserved the confidence of honest
men.
The course of Gen. Butler was hardly
less advantageous to the candidate. The
prince of demagogues, the man known
throughout the union, from Boston to
San Francisco, as the very embodiment
Of constituencies chicane and intrigue,
would have seriously weakened Gov
Cleveland had he undertaken the advo-
clcy of his nomination His blatant OPP
position to it was the greatest service he
could render the candidate. 1t can make
bat little difference now whether Butler
and Kelly and their respectives gangs
support Mr.. Cleveland for election or not.
They will do so only if they see that they
cannot prevent it. They have, in the
pursuit of their own ends, and under the
dictates of their own characters, decIar-
el that he is not their choice, that he is
not of their kind. They have established
him firmly in the confidence and admra-
ton of the country for the enemies he
has made"
The Young Democracy.
Tampa Tribune.
The young democrats of Florida yet
hold tO tho y,pIitipo1 Foitb Of tboi, fo tbor-