The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-07-31
GOVERNOR CLEVELAND.

Leading Editorial in Harper's Weekly.
The nomination of Gov. Cleveland
defines sharply the actual issue of the
presidential election of this year. He
is man whose absolute official iDteg.
rity has never been questioned, who
has no laboriOus and doubtful ex an
ations to undertake. and who is uni,
VerSally known as the Governor of
New York elected by an unpre:ed-
ented majority which was not parti-
san, and represented both the votes
and the consent of an enormous body
of republicans, and who as the chief
executive of the state, has steadily
| WithStOod the Establishments and the
threats of the worst elements of his
party, and has justly earned the rep
utation Of a courageous, independent
and efficient friend and promoter of
administrative reform. His name has
become that of the especial represen-
tative among our public men of the
integrity, purity and economy of adj
ministration, which are the objects of
the most intelligent and patriotic cit1-
zens. The bitter and furious hostility
of Tammany Hall and Gen. Butler
to Governor Cleveland is his pass
port to the confidence OF good men,
and the general conviction that Tam
many will 10 al! that it can to defeat
him viii b5 al additional incentive to
the voters who cannot support Mr..
Blaine. a1d who are unwilling not to
vote 1T All, 80 secure the election Of a
candidate ~hom the political rings
and the parity traders inStinctiVely
hate and unittdly oppose.
So firm AMI "clean" and independ-
eDt in his high Office has Gov. Cleve-
]and shown himself to be, that he is
denounced as not being democrat
by his democratic opponents. This
denunciation springs from the fact
that he has not hesitated to prefer
the public welfare to the mere inter-
est of his party. Last autumn,
when the democratic district
attorney of Queens county
was charged with misconduct, the
governor heard the accusation and the
defense, and decided that it was his
duty to remove the officer. He was
asked by his party friends to defer the
removal until after the election, as
otherwise the party would lose the
district by the opposition of the at
torney's friends. The governor I'M
derstood his duty and removed the
officer some days before the cleo
ton, and the old party did lose
the district. This kind of courage
and devotion to public duty in the
teeth of the most virulent opposition
of traders of his own party is unusual
IN any public man, and it shows pre-
cisely the execut We quality which is
demanded at time when every form
of speculation and fraud presses upon
the public treasury under the specious
plea of party advantage.
The argument that in an election it
is not q man but party that is sup
ported, and that the democratic party
is less to be trusted than the republic
can, is futile at time when the re-
publican party has nominated canal
date whom q great body of the
most conscientious republicans can
not support, and the democratic party
has nominated a candidate whom
great body of the most venal demo
Gratis practically bolt. Distrust of the
democratic party springs from the
conduct of the very democrats who
madly oppose Gov. Cleveland because
they know that they cannot use him.
The mere party argument is vain also,
as no honorable man will be whipped
in to vote for a candidate whom he
believes to be personally disqualified
for the presidency on the ground that
a party ought to be sustained. The
nomination of Governor Cleveland is
due not so much to the preference OF
his party as to the general demand of
the country for a candidacy which
stands for precisely the qualities and
services which are associated with
his name.