New-York tribune., 1886-07-28
A CURIOUS COMPLAINT


to. conceal his name, since he only says dis
tinctly what many other Democrats have been
saying with moro emphasis aud sulphurous en-
bellishment, sets forth in long letter In The
Herald the grounds Of the Democratic COM
plant against President Cleveland. The short
comines 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 oeen
prevented from doing great and irreparable
mischief only by the steadfsst opposition Oh
Republicans. But the Member Of Congress"
replies that the blame does not lie with Con-
Rress, but with the President. 1t was his duty
TO be the leader of his party; mot to plant
himself on an ideally perfect policy and let the
party 20 to pieces, but to bring It TO an
agreement upon q couree which. II not ideally
the best, should yet be in the line of its duty to
the country" Instead, President Cleveland
has taken an attitude of suspicion and OF con-
temptuous opposition-the attitude OF school
master He has Gisolated himself from the
leading minds of bis party in Congress; y; has
mot influenced ten votes in the House on any
question his narrow and ill-informed mind
has never tried to grasp the opinions of the
whole country n; he Gthinks men who do not
agree with him are either insincere or lacking
sensen; he keeps a crossroads lawyer from
Arkansas in the Attorney Generals office" y;
and ait IA natural that he should despise
party whose master he thinks himself. But he
ia deceved.n So the Men Der of Congress"
concludes that his associates are "no doubt
often il-informed and prejudiced, aud 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
narrow ond ill-informed mind,n Republicans
told tn, country; his party was not lit to be
trusted by ITSELF and he entirely lacked the
qualities and The training to become CON-
petent or safe leader Of such party. Was not
all this true3 If it was, why did Democratic
want to elect such manf They must have
known, indeed some OF them said openly, that
Mr.. Clevelahds exceeding unftness. matching
40 lamentably the unfitness and untrustworthl-
ness of his party, would make his election
terrible disaster to Democracy. But the party
was so absurdly unit that 1t worked for him
and brought upon itself the disaster, never the
less. Whys Because it has but one effective
motive-insatiable hunger and consuming
thirst 1t saw disgrace and disaster little
way of, but Federal pap within reach, and it
went for the pap regardless Of the dlsgI ace and
impending ruin. Of course such party
deserves such President. 1t nee led great
leader but coutemptuously spurned the men
who might have taken that place. Instead, 1t
set up man of whom little was known ex-
cept that he knew little.
So the party has its reward. This member
of Congress Gays ave are all going home to
our constituents IN few days, and we go
there, not boasting Of what the Democratic
Administration has accomplished, but excusng
as well as We may be able it's failures and mig
takes" That tells only a corner Of the truth.
Nine tenths Of the time Of Democratic men,
bers, when they go before their CONF tituents
will have to be- spent, not in excusing failures
of the Administration, but in apologizing fof
the crimes of Congress. That is the especial
difficulty. Had Democrats In Congress been
lit for their Il ust, thoy would not have needed
a leader to save them from themselves They
were not fit, did need such leader, spitefuly
drove out of place and influence the only meu
they had who wore In any degree capable OF
wise leadership. and have been going to the had
ever since. Now they whine because Blr.
| Cleveland was not large enough and wise
enough to make his party decent In suite Of
| itself.