Wichita eagle., 1888-04-08

Des Moines Register.
There Is renewed talk at Washington
about the prospect OF Mr.. Cleveland's de-
Ginning TO be a candidate for a second
term. Some significant remarks dropped
by an employee of the public printing de-
partment have led to the belief that Mr..
Cleveland has already in type letter Of
defamation to DE offered at the time
which shall seem most suitable for him.
1t is urged that he has found so large an
element of hostility in his own party,
and so much of falling away Of strength
and popularity among the independents
who supported him four years ago, that
he has concluded that defeat awaits him
should he try for second term. There
is no doubt that in many parts of the
country that Mr.. Cleveland is the most
unpopular Democrat in the party. There
are many Democrats who supported
him four years ago and gave
freely to secure his election that
would now not only be indiffer-
ent TO his reelection but would secretly
oppose it. He has not been the kind of
president TO strengthen himself with
the rank and file of his party. A DEM
ocratic party believes in Democracy, and
! believes that a president of Its own
choosing should be Democrat in all
that the name implies. The average
Democrat at once has suspicious of the
genuineness of the Democracy of pres
ident whom it can't slap ON the hack and
say. How are YOU, Grover. Mr..
Cleveland has not encouraged that sort
of familiarity. As far as personal con-
tact with his party Is concerned he has
been as unapproachable as a monarchist
of the monarchy. But il is not so much
! from fear of opposition within the ranks
| that Mr.. Cleveland feels distrustful and
uneasy as 20 another campaign. he
/ has doubtless faith in the old
maxim that Democrat would vote
| for anybody if ne ran ON u Democratic
| ticket. And he has no doubt confidence
/ to believe that most of the rank and file
could be whipped into line when she
proper time came. But he knows very
well that four years ago he required
more than the votes of the Democratic
party to elect him. He had then the
mugwump or Independent vote, the vote
of disappointed or soured Republicans,
and of many business men who were in
differenct rs TO politics but particular as
To the effect of campaign upon their
business. The latter were lead TO believe
that Mr.. Cleveland would give a sound
business administration, and that the
Democratic party would not NEEDLE
with the tariff or any thing that might
disturb the business interests of the
country. All these classes have had
reason to change their sentiments toward
Mr.. Cleveland. The mugwumps,
who supported him as the rep
representative of civil service reform,
/ have found him violating the spirit as
3 III l..
/ the country one of the worst admin
I STATIONS ever known. The.business men,
who were led to believe that he would
/ furnish safe and conservative admin
istration, have found him bodily attack
/ ing the system which has built up Amer
/ lean industries and made the business
/ interests of this country strong and pow
/ erful. So Mr.. Cleveland NAV well look
with apprehension upon the prospect,
/ when he considers these things But,
| after ALL it is not to be readily conceded
/ or assumed that Mr. Cleveland will with
draw from this contest without a strug-
gle. He knows that he has enemies
within the party, he knows
that he has little support 10
expect from without it. and vet he
knows that to retire now under the cir
cumstancs would be to retire under fro
and concede that his administration had
been failure. He has In his favor "A
civil service equipped on partisan lines
/ and drilled and controlled by efficient
political managers. He has in his favor
also the support of the free trade mug
wump' element, which has no other
candidate to wnom it can go. So, with
+ these strong consideration behind him
/ and the blind belief in destiny or luck
which has so often sustained him, he
may and not improhably will attempt
denomination and an endorsement If
| his career. Those who expect Mr..
| Cleveland to retire from the race be-
cause he has been criticized, and because
a large element in his party does not adj
mire him. do not understand the selfish
bullheaded propensities of the man.