The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-08-07
A Curious COMPLAINT.

other Democrats have been saying
with more emphasis and sulphurous
establishment, sets forth in a long
letter in The Herald the grounds of
the Democratic complaint against
President Cleveland. The short-com-
ings of the party in Congress had
been pointed out, and 1t had been
shown that the party had broken
many pledges, had done no good and
some mischief, and had been pre-
vented from doing great and irrepar-
able mischief only by the steadfast
opposition of Republicans. But the
"Member of Congress" replies that
the blame does not lie with Congress,
but with the President. 1t was his
duty to be the leader of his party;
mot 10 plant himself on an ideally
perfect policy and let the party go to
pieces, but to bring it to an agree
ment upon course which, if not
ideally the best, should yet be in the
iihO vi us uuiy W thc CVuuliys III
stead, President Cleveland has taken
an attitude "of suspicion and of con-
temptuous oppositiou-the attitude
of a school. MASTER" He has "isola-
ted himself from the leading minds
of his party in Congress )" has mot
influenced ten votes in the House on
any question !" his marrow and ILL.,
informed mind has never tried to
grasp the opinions of the whole cOun-
try !" he "thinks men who do not
agree with him are either insincere
or lacking sense )" he keeps "a cross
roads lawyer from Arkansas in the
acknowledgements Office )" and sit
is natural that he should despise a
party whose master he thinks him.
self. But he is deceived" So the
Member of Congress-" concludes,that
his associates are mo doubt often ill
Informed and prejudiced. and moved
unduly perhaps by the supposed
needs or demands of their localities
but "they cannot be bullied."
Does it occur to any of those who
helped elect Mr.. Cleveland that all
this was precisely what Republicans
urged as one of the chief objections to
his election? He was "a man of mar
row and Informed mind" Republic
cans told the country; his party was
not fit to be trusted by itself, and he
entirely lacked the qualities and the
training to become competent or
safe leader of such party. Was not
all this true? If it was, why did
Democrats want to elect such man :?
They must have known, indeed some
of them said openly. that Mr.. CIeve-
lands exceeding unfitness, matching
so lamentabIy the unfitness and I'M
trustworthiness of his party, would
make his election a terrible disaster
to Democracy. But the party was so
absurdly unfit that it worked for
him and brought upon itself the dis
aster, nevertheless. Why? Because
it has one effective motive-insatia.
BILE hunger and consuming thirst. 1t
saw disgrace and disaster little way
! off, but Federal pap within reach.
and 1t went for the pap regardless of
the disgrace and impending ruin.
Of course such a party deserves such
a President. 1t needed great lead
err, but contemptuously spurned the
men who might have taken that
place. Instead, it set up man of
whom little was known except that
he knew little.
So the party has its reward. This
member of Congress says; 1--WE are
all going home to our constituents in
few days, and we go there. not
Boosting of what the Democratic Adj
ministration has accomplished, but
excusing as well as we may be able
its failures and mistakes" That tells
only corner of the truth. Nine
tenths of the time of Democratic
members, when they 60 before their
constituents, will have to be spent.
not in excusing failures of the Adj
ministration. but in apologlzing for
the crimes of Congress. That is the
especial difficulty, Had Democrats
in Congress been fit for their trust.
they would not have needed leader
to save them from themselves. They
were not fit, did need such a leader,
spitefully drove out of place and in
huence the only men they had who
were in any degree capable of wise
leadership. and have been going to
the bad ever since. Now they whine
because Mr.. Cleveland was not large
enough and wise enough to make his
party decent in spite of itself.-N. Y.
Tribune.
Senator Millar'a SuccaaSor