New-York tribune., 1884-11-29
WUIT T'D EypHCT

WHAT TO EXPECT
n IL creditable I'm Governor Cleveland that
he sees and is anxious to remove the intense
dislrust with which the advent OF his party to
power ia regarded. The Democrats, he Is
confident, will be- the true friends OF the colored
pcoplc Tho Democrats. he urges. are
Interested in the public prosperity ns working
people aud ~ capitalists, and can be trusted 10
do nothing that VIII prostrilc industry or dls-
urb bus ness. These assurances may Dh
accepted IN entire good iaith. M expressing the
belief of Governor Cleveland that the course
which his party seems TO him likely TO pursue
ia not. In his Judgment. calculated to do harm
10 Anybohy. There Ia no reason To doubt that
he has desire to promote the public prosrerily.
The aucstion Is whether he will know by which
policies the public prosperity can best be
promoted or whether. if he knows. he will hnvc
80 strong q desire rs To resist other influences
which will presently beset him.
1t is right 10 hope for the best; right to
assure the Prcsidentelect that his political
opponents will not be indisposel to give him
credit for whatever sound Judgment or patriotic
purpose he may display. Judging him bv the
past, as men are bound to do in political
contest. wo have seen reason to lear that he
would fall under evil infuenccs-thc very
worst in his party. But there would be all the
more hearty rejoicing if he should prove able to
resist snch influences to the end. Judging him
from the past we have seen reason to believe
that his ideas of public policy were exceedingly
likely to bring grave msfurtunes upon the
country. But the relief and gladnesS would BE-
all the greater, if it should turn oIt tint he has
no real attachment TO vicious or mistaken
theories. Hoping for the best is well, if we do
not losc sight of what is essential to public
welfare in gush of sentimental confidence.
Governor Cleveland cannot take into the al
ministration of affairs the ideas which have
always governed his party, il he means to ao no
mischief. he cannot avoid mischief, for
instance, If he starts with the idea that the
white Democrats of the South ought ut all
events to rule, whether they are majority or
not. and that the best thing that can happen to
the colored people is to abdicate all share III
the government of the country, in serene con-
(hlence that their "best friends the white
Democrats, will du for them more than they can
ask or think. Our Governments not framed on
that basis. We have not. under the C0nSttn-
ton one class oT citizens whose proper function
II IL to rule, and to take care of another class
gbosp p,uper function It Is to BE ruled. What
The colofed peDple want Ia not beat friends"
b,t pnnal Justice. if ,iDvetnbt Cleveland will
spe that ,hpt have exactly the SAINT Freedom ANA
pFo,pe,ian that white ei,zens abeit them enioy,
| aHd tha sane 0pr8tNnitN ~ express ,hpii wishes
| fFeeiF ~ dlseWssNn ana a, the hailel h0s, chen
| he viii mart eaNhienee tram hpm, hN ~ that
case he viii nat have tho ennilipncp at thosp
wha have secured most vt the electoral yplps
| ioF hn
80 he will mart confidence from other
citizens it no employs his great influence 10
put stop tn agitation OF the tarlff question, to
prevent any tearing down OF the barrier by
| which. in times of industrial depression, our
workers are defended from the full force Of
foreign mpetition 1t is possible, in spite of
all that passed during the campaign, that his
ideas on that subject may be found in accord
with those of Messrs. Randall, Blrnum and
Payne, and that he will realize that at this
time, when all business is embarrassed, the one
thing needful is to suppress agitation for a
| change of duties. This is cOnceivable-though
The TRIBUNE has found strong reason to
believe that his disposition would be altogether
different. If he should happily disappoint those
who have feared that his influence would he
positively harmful. OF those who have believed
that he would have no clear theory or purpose
of his own but would be merely tossed about
like chip by the waves of strife within his
party, there would be cause Tor thankfulncss.
But it is not we'll to forget that, in that event,
he must at once place himself in hostility to
four-ffths of the men to whom he owes his
election, and to thDse who gave him cyery
electoral vote he will receive.
IL Mr.. Cleveland, moreover, should set his
foot on the Democratic idea that the spols
belong to the victOrs, he would make many
friends. There are places enough for his
immediate personal adherents The question il
whether hc will feel that the public service
should be used to reward Democratic workers.
used, in short as partisan machine. If he
repels that idea not in empty words merely
but in his acts. he will justify the very able
bodied promises which some professional
reformers have been making possibly with toe
slender sense of their own responsibility. III,
can. if he chooses, refuse to remove expert
enced and worthy men because they art
Republicans, and Democratic workers without
: experience want the offices. But II he doel
that sort of thing, even in very moderate
measure, he will hsye emptied on him within
u gear ten times as much abuse as the same Dem