The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-11-04
MIR. Cleveland Stronger than i'm

MIR. Cleveland Stronger than i'm
leS4.
George William Curtis in the cur
rent number of Harper's Weekly un-
der the head of the 'Signs of the
Times" says:
"The Democratic party was not
especially friendly to Mr.. Cleve-
lend in 1884, and there has been
a resolute and out-spoken Demo
cratic protest against his admins
tration from the beginning. It
now appears, however, that his ad-
ministration is very generally com
mended by Democrats and by the
Independent feeling Of the country,
and hat he is very much stronger
than when he was elected. In this
situation the course of the Repub-
lican party to recover the conf
dence of the country, so far as it
has been developed, becomes of
great interest. This course is to
be seen in it's nominations, in the
state platforms, and in the speech
es of its leaders, and these all taken
together show merely implicit
reliance upon the party tradition.
For instance, in Massachusetts, the
platform assumes that administra-
tive reform is a. Republican prin-
ciple. The Convention then nomi-
mates MI. Ames because he is rich,
and demands support for him on
the ground that he is a Republican
and therefore a reformer. Again,
the prohibition sentiment in Mas
sachusetts is strong. The plat
form therefore denounces intern
perance and declares that a pro-
hibitory amendment should be
submitted to the people. But this
means nothing. The New York
Republican convention did the
same thing three years ago and
the Republican Legislature refused
to submit the amendment, and
even if should be submitted in
Massachusetts,, every Republican
upon such a platform might vote
against it. It is a mere recommen-
dation to ask the opinion of the
State, not the positive declaration
of a party. At the same time Re
publican leaders on the stump ar
que for protection, denounce the
pension vetoes, declare that the Re-
publican vote is suppressed in the
southern States, and decry the Adj
ministration as the rebellion in
power. But the Democrats, as a
party, do not %repudiate protection,
the President has signed more spec
ial pension bills than were passed
during the administration ofGener-
al Grant, and his v%etoes, as a rule,
are fully justified by his explana-
ton; the rebellion in power is the
merest party gag, while the Republi-
can vote is no more oppressed at the
South than it was under Republi-
can administration. This fact, of
course, is not an excuse for crimes
against the ballot, but we are consid-
ering the probabilities of a cam
paign, and the argument drawn
from alleged crimes at the polls
did not avail in 1884, and will be
no more effective in 1888. This
summary shows that as against
the increasing general confidence
in the President, the disappearance
of the open Democratic opposition
to him, the total miscarriage of
the anticipations of disaster in the
event of his election, and the con-
sequent dissipation of the vague
distrust of the Democratic party
as such, the, Republican party
reiterates the allegations of the
campaign of 1884, and apparently
intends to renominate the same
candidate. But is it the party re-
Spouse to earnest convictions upon
the newer questions that arise, re-
gard for the party mind and con-
science which assure it's continuous
power. These convictions were de-
MED and derided in '84, and the
party was defeated. Denial and de-
rision and evasion will certainly
not secure uccess in 'SS. If Mr..
Cleveland should be renominated
by the Democrats, the only Repub-
lican candidate who. could really
contest his election would not be
some Republican who like MIR.
Ames, merely Stands for the Re
publican party" but aman of per-
sonal significance, of strong reform
convictions, and of courage aud
tenacity which, as in the case of
Mr.. Cleveland, would be the Suar-
antee of honest and progressive
government. With such a candid
ate the Republican party could
make a vigorous fight. But with
MI. Blainethe defeat would be
more significant than before.