The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-09
MIR. cLByBLAND,s QUALIFICATIONS.


The time is drawing near when the people
of the United States will have chance to say
whether they shall disgrace themselves by
the election to the presidency Of man NOR
ally and mentally unfit. Let any man strip
himself of the bitterness of partisan prejudice
and contemplate the Democratic candidate as
years ago he was wholly unknown outside
the city of Buffalo. About that time he was
elected mayor of that city as the citizens can
didate Two years ago he was brought into
notice of Democratic politicians and
received the nomination for Governor, and
was elected only because 213, 900 Republicans
failed to vote. But for the prejudice felt
against Secretary Folger's candidacy on ac-
count of an alleged irregularity in his nom
ination, Grover Cleveland would have been
badly beaten, and would have been heard Of
no more except, perhaps as candidate for
sheriff of Erie county, or the mayoralty OF
Buffalo. But the accident of apathy among
Republicans gave Cleveland majority by
default of 1913, 000 With that marvellous
stupidity for which the Democratic party is
noted this was accepted as evidence Of
Clevelands popularity, and in answer
to the demand of the score or more
of independent Republican free traders he
was made its presidential nominee. 1t is now
pertinent to. ask what qualifications Mr..
Cleveland has that recommend him to the
American people as fit to fill the highest Office
within their gift. Why are such men as Bay
ard, Carlisle, Thurman and Hendricks passed
by to pick up this unknown mani
From the day he was nominated until the
present hour Grover Cleveland has given ut
terance to no opinion on public questions,
save to say that he viewed the presidency as
purely an executive office, in no wise connect
ed with the law making power, bit of stupid
ity equaled only by General Han
cocks fatal expression on the tar
if question, which he ENORMOUSLY
declared was a local issue. The President of
the United States has, in his veto power as
every intelligent person knows, an influence
equal to two-thirds of both houses of Con
gress, and the Constitution requires that he
shall recommend to Congress, from time to
time, such measures as he thinks necessary
and expedient. 1t is evident, therefore, that
the Democratic unknown has no adequate
idea of the duties of the office to which he has
been named while his low estimate of general
intelligence is an insult to the people Neither
in his letter of acceptance nor in any of
the few short speeches he has made since his
nomination, has this man given the least
hint as to his views on the tariff,
question of absorbing interest to
all the people. What does he
think, if he thinks at alb What are his in
tentionsf Shall the people elect this pig in a
poke2 Is it statesmanlike, is it honest are
sense and business, in electing two-thirds of
the members of Congress OF their equivalent,
without knowing their politics, without
knowing whether they favor free trade or pro-
tection9 Yet this is exactly what is seriously
proposed in the candidacy of Grover Cleve-
land. For the first time in the history of
American politics the mouth of presidential
candidate is sealed. He has been advised not
to talk. The Democratic leaders-Daniel
md ~ of
in New York--have good reason to fear that
Cleveland would make a fool of himself, and
thus lose the slight hope of election, as did
Hancock four years ago.
Now, since Mr. Cleveland has listened to
the advice of his trainers, and has consented
to keep his mouth shut the reading public,
the men whose votes make Presidents must
look to his record to discover his >qualifca-
tons. Is there any one thing in his brief
the great duties that would devolve upon him
as President over IS, 0O0,O enlightened peo-
ple2 Is there anything in any of his speeches
though it does not appear that he ever made
what may be properly called speeches-that
goes to show the breadth and depth of his in
tellects Is there anything known concerning
this man that proves him in any degree SUI
perior to fourth-rate lawyer and the average
sheriff? If so, it is time the evidence be ad-
duced. Does anybody recollect of any argu-
ment made by his friends that he is man of
large views and ample qualifications
AS Governor of New York has he
done anything that marked him as
a man superior in mental calibre to any one of
10000 that might be picked up in Buffalo, If
so, it is remarkable that muzzle be placed