The Portland daily press., 1884-07-12
Grover Cleveland.

Whatever in public life. Since then he has
had one years experience as Mayor of Buff
alo, and is serving his second year as Gov
ernor of New York. Before this raw recruit
in the affairs of state, the claims of veterans
in public life like Bayard and Randall, But
Ter and Mcdonald, Hendricks and Thur
man, have had to yield. They were weaker
because they had illustrated in their careers
more clearly and fairly the real quality and
tendency of the Democratic party Again,
as in 1872, the Democratic party desires to
have the people forget its record and believe
that it will be different party than it has
been. 1t has ignored the leaders who are
associated with its past aud offers the peo-
pie for their appreciation unknown and un-
tried candidates on a platform of unwar-
ranted professions and unsecured promises.
1t is curious and significant fact that
the Democratic party has not dared since
the beginning of the war to nominate for
the Presidency a man to whom the people
could attach any responsibility for the policy
and course of the party in national affairs.
Douglass and Breckenridge were the last
national statesmen for whom it presumed
to ask an expression of public confidence.
In 1864 Mcclellan was the candidate. In
1858 it was Seymour, who had been Governor
OF New York, but never in Congress or the
Cabinet. In 1872 it was Greely, Republic
can editor, never Democrat. In 1870 it
was Tilden who had been Governor of New
York but never in Congress or the Cabinet.
In 1880 it was Hancock, an army officer, in
nocent of any knowledge of public affairs.
And this year it is Cleveland whom nobody
can accuse of any responsibility for the par
ty's character. How differentis this from
the courage and confidence of the Republi-
can party, renominating Lincoln in 1864,
Grant in 1872, and appealing to the judg-
ment of the nation with Garfield iu 1880 and
Blaine in 1884, statesmen who for nearly
generation had been conspicuous and infu-
ential in shaping the nations destiny.
We do not disagree with the judgment of
the Democratic party that the men who
have done the most to mold the character
and make the record of the party would be
WC0h SouutOdGCps NOnbCl0uC6 ludk6S bu6
party coward; but its fears are all in the
line of wisdom. The less known and less
tried Democratic candidate is the better
are his chances. To be sure they have
never had any great success while putting
forward their raw and unknown candidates; !;
but that does not initiate against the rea-
sonableness of the Judgment that they
would have come off worse if they had put
their party record more distinctly in issue.
We are willing to admit that the psrty
knows its own weakness, and is quite justlfi-
able in its persistent desire to have pub
lie attention diverted from the exploits of its
leading statesmen.
Grover Cleveland is Al years old. He was
born in New Jersey, went to Buffalo when
a youth, was clerk in his uncle's store,
studied law, has been district attorney,
sheriff, mayor and governor. His prom
inence is owing to two circumstances. He
has been rather more independent and
honorable in Office than New York Demo
Gratis are expected to be, and when he was
elected Governor thousand of Republicans
having determined to discipline some often
si7e party managers, refrained from voting,
by (which means Cleveland obtained phe-
nomenal majority. His administration as
Governor has been generally satisfactory
and he has done some things which espec-
tally gratifed what calls itself the reform
element in politics. He has been
nominated because il was believed
that he would have some support
from men who had heretofore acted with
the Republican party. Cleveland may not
be much of reformer although it must be
conceded that he has more reputation of
that kind than any other eligible Democrat.
But the very qualities and acts which have
got him this reputation have made him,
naturally enough, offensive to a portion of
the Democratic party, aud it is a question
whether he will not lose more votes than he
wins. Many Republicans who ought to be
well informed assert that his nomination
will make New York certainly Republican.
The two candidates, one of whom will be
the next President, ,are now before the people
for consideration and Judgment. The real
issue, however, is not between two men but
between two great parties, which are Edis-
tinct in their character, record, motive and
tendency. However unknown the Demo
cratic candidate may be, the Democrat
ic party is notorious. Both parties are
stronger than their candidates, either,
if successful, will have more influence than
the President in determining the nature of
the administration. This is the important
condition of the problem which the voters
cannot safely ignore, and it is consider
alton which all Republicans, whether or not
they were known before the nomination as
Blaine men, cannot disregard without fear
and trembling. 1t is rash experiment to
intrust the administration to any magistrate
who owes allegiance to the Democratic party.