The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-08
THE DEMooRATIU FAILURE,

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Never before in the history of politics in
this country has party turned against its
President so quickly and SO bitterly as Democ-
racy has against Mr.. Cleveland. It is
but little more than year since ne
was elected PRESIDENT and the Demo
cratic half Of the country went wild in
the joy Of his success. With bewildering ra-
pidity this man had been hurried from honor
to honor, each time stepping to higher
place, so that there was scarcely chance TO
measure him. But when at last he reached
the presidency, Democracy fairly went mad,
and pandemonium was let loose all over the
land. Mugwump saint and Democratic heller
fell into each others arms and wept for joy,
though from very different reasons The
former, in the innocence of his soul, fondly
imagined that the day Of jubilee had come,
and political naughtiness would be known no
more forever. With the election of Cleveland
there was no more to do but to fall back and
cry, Behold! The god of reform (little G,
unfortunately, had been elevated, and
it only remained to fall down and
worship. The Democrat, on the other hand,
fresh from crying reform the civil service
quickly changed it to sfGive." His JOY was
in anticipation Of speedy apportioning of the
official loaves and fishes. Barely year has
passed. and how now9 The mugwump sings,
if he sings at all, in minor key, sad and
low. For the most part pride shames him
into silence. He has little or nothing to say.
The Democrat from chanting peans, has
changed to anathemas, and the abuse now
heaped upon the President would not be re-
sorted to by the bitterest Republican that
ever shouldered musket to put down Demo
cratic rebellion. When Mr.. Cleveland was
elected, national pride closed the lips of his
every political accuser. He was recognized
as the President of this Nation, and as such
Republicans were anxious to have his blem-
ishes hid for the credit of the people.
It would be astounding to one not versed in
American politics, to one not acquainted with
the nature of the Democratic party, to wit
ness the attack made upon the President by
the men who. but few months ago. hesitated
at nothing to secure his election The Demo
cratic editors of Indiana have formally de-
nounced him in the bluntest and most shame
less manner, going to lengths that the Repub
lican editors meeting the same week, would
not have dreamed of going. He has been as
saulted in the house Of his friends. Has any
body read in Republican paper anything
half so severe in direct accusation and by
worse innuendo, as the following, taken from
the Washington correspondence of one of the
leading Democratic journals:
Ellis so-called sense of destiny is nothing
more than a pervading egotism, which finds
no proofs of its ability, and, therefore, holds
that he is favored by fortune. So we have
got an astrologer at the head of the State
one who would rather concern himself about
looking at the entrails of chickens, to know
how human events are to go, than to disci-
pline his own entrails and to keep them from
chatting his brains when he gets up in the
morning. Very much Of this so-called blunt
ness is nothing but bad stomach. Beer sell
dom agrees with the American who follows
semi-intellectuai tasks. 1t is a cooling bev-
erage for warm weather. though it heats as
WELL For a steady drink it does not compare
with wine, which leaves the man gentleman,
even though he is somewhat fuddled. Malt in
creases the intestines, bloats the tissues,
swells the neck and affects the throat. think
we have never had beer drinker before at
the head Of the Nation"
This is kept up for the space Of nearly two
columns. Touching on his professions of re-
form, using that term in it's best sense, the
correspondent continues
HE was like woman who had been intox-
icated by an adventurous homage. It was so
sweet to his nostrils to be called another
Washington, type of independence and
purity, etc., that he came to this city incapa-
BILE of dealing with the facts before him. He
was inclined to believe that the Republican
party was the one to be placated, and that the
Democratic party was to be pat upon snort
commons He announced that he would not
remove anybody for having been Repub-
lican. Yet, in little while, while he was
fresh in Office, he began to scent rising
muttering storm, and he had his little man
Villas whom some one called the squirt of his
administration, very properly, at the outset
issue circular affecting great majority Of
all the Offices, namely, the postofices. ven
ture to say that a more sneaking Contempt
BILE circular than that never emanated from old
Fagin's pawn-shop addressed to his Artful
Dodgers and other pick pockets 1t said, in
effect Confidential: The next lay to the
boys is to go and steal character; and to
this end be very adroit, lest the police find
you out. You are to assume that any man is
an offensive partisan who has used any of his
five senses-smell sight, hearing, taste or
course he cannot be an offensive partisan
But if he has INDUCED the slightest exercise
of independence collect your evidence that
on this day you saw him see, on that day you
were sure he smelled, and on the next day he