The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-06-05
A CUT AND DRIED CONVECTION.

No national convention for many years has
meets at ST. Louis to-day. The element of
uncertainty which alone can support curiosity
and conjecture is lacking. The action of the
convention is foregone conclusion, and the
proceedings already cut and dried. The can
didate for President and the ruling feature Of
the platform are az well known as IL the con-
vention mad already met and adjourned.
They have been settled in advance by the
present incumbent of the Office. The man
who four years ago gained credit and made
votes by his declaration that the President
should be ineligible for a second term has al
ready nominated himself for his own sue
cessor, and the provincial statesman, whose
knowledge of national affairs can be counted
by months, has decided that the convention
shall adopt free trade platform, whatever the
words may appear to say. These points being
settled, it is Of little consequence whether the
ticket shall be Cleveland and Thurman or
Cleveland and Gray. The nomination Of
vice-president was hardly sufficient to
justify the holding of national convention.
A week after it has adjourned the nominee
for second place will have lapsed
into the obscurity that naturally belongs to
it. and the only part of the conventions action
that will excite any interest or discussion viii
be those which are already decided, and which
it will simply promulgate. The Democratic
battle-cry will be Cleveland and free trade.
Four years ago it was Cleveland and reform,
varied with the demand to ''opon the books"
and turn the rascals out" The ruling idea
of that campaign was that the civil service
was thoroughly demoralized, every department
of the government rotten and corrupt, and
that incompetency and dishonesty pervaded
every branch of the public service. Mr..
Cleveland was to reform all this. The gov
eminent was to be restored to a basis of JEFF
fersonian simplicity. The civil service was
to be recognized, purified and improved.
greatly reduced, and the efficiency of every
department increased. The books were to be
opened, and light turned on the record Of Re-
publican rascality. In short, everything was
to be reformed, and the government admin
istered great deal better than ever before at
great deal less expense. OF all these high
sounding promises not one has been kept.
From beginning to end they were nothing
but gilded lies. The Democratic
campaign Of four years ago was
campaign of false pretenses and
the election of Cleveland triumph Of fraud
and crime. Neither he nor his party have
done single thing of all they promised, and
they stand before the country to-day a COM
plete embodiment Of political failure, con-
demned out of their own mouths and by their
own record. Mr.. Cleveland will be renomi-
mated, but not on platform Of pledges re-
deemed or reforms accomplished. The plat
form pledges and campaign phrases of four
years ago viii be discreetly ignored. The
new crusade is to be made under the banner
of free trade. In so far as Mr.. Cleveland can
represent anything or be trusted to carry out
any policy he represents, he stands for the
policy of free trade as against the protection
of American industry. This is the man and
the policy that viii be presented for the suf.
frages of the American people at st. Louis.
We have sufficient faith In the intelligence
and patriotism Of the people to believe they
| will not win.