The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-07-18
The Coming Revolution.


worthy of careful perusal
"All great revolutions are born in
violent throes, and the desperate bat
tie Just closed in the Democratic Ma
tional Convention will stand as mem
orable illustration of this truth 1t was
the most heroically contested struggle
l 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
majestic individual rivalry was an in
tensifying factor in the conflict. Only
a supreme cause high over men could
have withstood the repeated shocks of
the fierce assailing hosts. No Nation
al Convention ever stood like the rock
ribbed shore against the angry surges
of the spoilsmen's storm as did the
Convention of to-day. 1t ws' held IN
anarchy for an hour in the midst of a
ballot by the cunningly devised strate-
gy that suddenly burst Hendrick' $
hurricane on the body, which appealed
to the inspiring sentiment 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
strongly appealed to the intelligent
and considerate Judgment of the body
that it's members stood like wall OF
adamant as the tempest ragged in the
widest fury around them. H ap.
1t was tho most thoroughly deliber-
ate Convention that has met since the
organization of the present parties,
with the single exception of the Lin
coin Convention that started the Re
publican 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 acquaintances in the Conven
ton than had any successful candi-
date since Lincoln. He had no fac
tious support outside of his battle with
spoilsmen in his own State; he had no
sectional sentiment or interest TO rail- y
under his flag. But from East and
West, from North and South the most
conservative aud resolute supporters of
honest government united to nominate
him as the fittest and best leader OF
the revolution that public profiigacy
and debauchery 30 imperiously in
vite. .a1.HH' t Hi "t1.
The battle in the Republican Con.
vention was unsuccessfully made to
rescue the party from its spoils system
and to elevate it to purer aims and ef
forts. The great popular leader, with
the proclaimed methods and expecta
tions of the spoilsmen, commanded the
appeal to the approval of the republi
cans, but at a fearful cost in the loss
of able and self-sacrificing men who
revere the yet fresh traditions of Re
publican fidelity to public integrity and
lustrous patriotism. They followed
the soiled Republican flag long after
its leaders had betrayed aud forgotten
the great revolution that called it int
the strife and gave it victory, but they
made their final appeal for reform her,
a month ago and were defeated Ii
despair of Republican reform, they as
serted the highest and noblest right o.
the citizen. They revolted and poiniec
as with one voice to Grover Cleveland
as the one Democrat above all who's,
record commanded their hearty sup
port. Then and not till then wa,
Cleveland prominent, a possible can
didate for President, and the battle fo
his nomination has been made upon is
sues so clear and distinct that none cal
misunderstood them. He was nomina
ted to. day not only because he was ear
nestly and honestly championed by tn
best men and the best aims of the De
mocracy, but also because he was vim
dictively opposed by all who believe il
the mockery of professed reform be
fore elections, to prostitute power u
plunder after elections have been won.
Let none misunderstood the issue o
the great conflict that is upon us, /
involves a sweeping political revolu
tion-not merely the transfer of powe
from one political party to another, bu
the revolutionary overthrow of tn
worst methods and purposes of bot
parties and the triumph Of the best in
spirations OF every political faith. !
Is not simply whether there shall be
Republican or Democratic President
nor is it a struggle to make James 6
Blaine or Grover Cleveland the Chic
Magistrate of the republic. A revolu
tion has dawned upon both parties am
it has been born of supreme necessity
Its seeds have been lavishly strewn b
the Republican abuses and Democrat
follies of the past half generation, an
they have been watered and nourishe
and grown to apparent harvest time b
the distinctly opposite men and meai
ures declared by the two Chicago Cor
ventions of 1884
| Cleveland will lose many Democra,