St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-15
THE ISSUES STATED.
The Convention-the Platform-the
Candidate-The Eve of Political
Revolution.

convention Will SGanQ as memOrdDlt Illus
tration of this truth. 1t was the most heroi-
cally contested struggle have ever known,
in thirty years as a witness of presidential
nominations, and every element OF ambition
and jealousy, of meanest hatreds OF strug-
Cling spoilsmen and of both petty and maJes-
tic individual rivalry was an intensifying
factor in the conflict. Only supreme cause
high over men could have withstood the re-
peated shocks of the fierce assailing hosts.
No national convention ever stood like the
rock-ribbed shore against the angry surges OF
the spoilsmens storm as did the convention
of to-day. 1t was held in anarchy for an
hour in the midst of ballot by the cunning
ly devised strategy that suddenly burst
Hendricks hurricane on the body, which
appealed to the inspiring sentl-
ment of historic justice. Neither Grover
Cleveland nor any greater man could have
withstood such cyclone. But the cause
that he was made to represent with such dis
tinctness alike by friend and foe, SO strong
ly appealed to the intelligent and consider
ate Judgment of the body that its members
stood like wall OF adamant as the tempest
rgged in the widest fury around them.
1t was the most thoroughly deliberate con-
vention that has met since the organiZa-
lion of the present parties, with the single
exception of the Lincoln convention that
started the Republican revolution in this
city nearly quarter of century ago. 1t
was not welded to Grover Cleveland; it was
not for him as a man; he had fewer personal
acquaintance in the convention than had
any successful candidate since Lincoln. He
had no factious support outside of his battle
with spoilsmen in his own state; he had no
sectional sentiment or interest to rally under
his flag. But from east and west. from
north and south the most conservative and
resolute supporters of honest government
united to nominate him as the ittest and
best leader Of the revolution that public prof
legacy and debauchery SO imperiously in
vite.
The battle in the Republican convention
was unsuccessfully made to rescue the party
from its spoils system and to elevate it to
purer aims and efforts. The great popular
leader, with the proclaimed methods and ex-
pectations of the spoilsnen, commanded the
appeal to the approval of the Republicans, but
at fearful cost in the loss of able and self
sacrificing men who revere the yet fresh ira
ditions of Republican fidelity to public integ-
rity and lustrous patriotism. They followed
the soiled Republican flag long after its lead
ers had betrayed and forgotten the great revo-
luton that called it into the strife and gave it
victory, but they made their final appeal for
reform here a month ago and were defeated.
In despair of Republican reform, they asserted
the highest and nobest right of the citizen.
They revolted and pointed as with one voice
to Grover Cleveland as the one Democrat
above all whose record commanded their
hearty support. Then, and not till then was
Cleveland a prominent, possible candidate
for president, and the battle for his nominal
ton has been made upon issues so clear and
distinct that none can misunderstood them.
He was nominated to-day not only because
he was earnestly and honestly championed
by the best men and the best aims of the
Democracy, but also because he was vindic-
lively opposed by all who believe in the
mockery Of protested reform before elections
to prostitute power to plumber after elections
have been won.
Let none misunderstood the issue of the
great conflict that is upon us. 1t involves a
sweeping political reyoution-not merely
the transfer of power from one political party
to another, but the revolutionary overthrow
of the worst methods and purposes Of both
parties and the triumph of the best inspira-
tons of every political faith. 1t is not simp-
ly whether there shall be a Republican or a
Democratic president, nor is it a struggle to
make James G. Blaine or Grover Cleveland
he chief m ois trota nf tho raruhlio A rnvn-
luton has dawned upon both parties and it
has been born of supreme necessity Its
seeds have been lavishly strewn by the Re
publican abuses and Democratic follies of
the past half generation, and they have been
watered and nourshed and grown to appar-
ent harvest time by the distinctly opposite
men and measures declared by the two Chi
cago conventions of 1888.
Cleveland will lose many Democratic votes
for the single offense Eof typifying
practical, honest administration. The blat-
ant demagogues who hang on the edges of
every hopeful party by turns will decry him
and the leprous jobbers of all parties will
make common and exhaustive battle against
him. But more than one hundred thousand
men of sincere Republican faith in the de-
batable states will openly espouse his cause
and press the result to successful revolution.
the more desperately it shall be fought the
more signal win be the Cleveland victory.
Connecticut and New Hampshire promise to
be Cleveland states and Massachusetts will
tremble in the balance between the Plumed
Knight and the man who is known only as
resolutely honest publis servant.
The conflict will oe one of the most
violent and exhaustive Of our political his
tory. The Republicans have their ablest
leader. His undiscovered resources are vast
and viii be employed in desperation. His
party has boundless means of political war
fare aud they will be summoned to the utter
most. There will be money for the venal,
honors for the ambitious, plumber for thieves,
promises for the weak and fattery for fools;
but the very desperation of the strife win
multiply and crystalline the forces of reform,
and only some monumental Democratic
folly can hinder the election of Grover Cleve-
land.
The platform, when sifted Of the regulation
clap-trap that is inseparable from all modern
party deliverances, is sound, sensible aud
patriotic. It is honest for the protection Of
industry, for the maintenance OF our manu-
features, for the strict enforcement of public
economy and for the reform of our debauch-
ed and debauching prohigacy by the reduc-
ton of taxes to the economical necessities
of the government. On these vital
issues the great protective industries
of the land have commanded
frank and manly tribute from the
supreme tribunal of Democracy, aud free
trade has been eliminated from our party
conflicts by the heroic revolt and victory I'M
der the lead of Samuel J. Randall. There is
no idiotic theory in the Cleveland platform
10 breed revolt in 1884 as il was bred in
1850, and the plain issue of honest econom-
zeal public administration comes with rcvo-
lutionRry tread 10 restore free goyernment to