New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-29
THE SURRENDER or TIE "INDEPEND-
ENTS'

Four wears ago the MugWumDs rallied around
the standard of Grover Cleveland. On what
ground did they support him? Because ne
was a Democrat? No. for their leader MI
Curtis. iust before the canvass opened, without
protest from any one of his followers, eXcoratcd
the Democratic party as a conspiracy for spoils
and nlunder. Because he was fitted for the
Presidency either by training or experience?
No. for "The New-Yorl1 Times" had rid
iculed the first mention Of his name
in connection with the White house
declaring that he was nothing but
- parochialD statesman; while no serious
attemnt WIS made in any quarter to show
that he was more than that. he had never
been member Of either branch OF the Federal
or State Legislature; he had never held a
Cabinet position he had never made contrl-
button to the literature Of any grave pubic
question He had been Mayor and had held
the Office of Governor something over year
that was practically all there was of his public
career when he was placed in nomination for
the highest Office within tho gift Of the Amer
lean people.
But if they did not vote for Mr. Cleveland
because he was Democrat, and if they could
not claim that he had gifts of craftsmanship
that attracted them, why were they so earnest
in their support of him? They all had the
same answer Reform They maintained from
the beginning to the end of tho campaign that
they were drawn to Mr.. Cleveland because he
was distinctively the reformer in politics. III
their attention was called TO tho fact that
their reformer was the candidate Of party
whose record and whose tendency were anti
reform, they replied that the criticism was
without force. since Cleveland possessed
phenomenal backbone which rendered him
stronger than his party. Especially devoted
to the cause of Civil Service Reform, these
independents had much to say Of the great
gain to that cause which was sure to flow
from Mr.. Cleveland's election.
We'll, the man Of their choice reached the
White House, and now they are forced to
confess that he reached the Office by false
pretences. Writing Of the investigation now
in progress in regard to the workings OF tho
Civil Service law in the New-York Custom
House, "The Evening Post' uses this plain
language:
Tho painful truth IS, that wo doubt Il a single IN
depefdant voter in this State, Of the thousands who
supported President Cleveland in 1894, any longer
attaches any importance to the uttsfances Of the
members OF the Administration on the subject Of
Civil Service Reform any longer refuses to be
ueve that the Presidents promises and professions
have been violated disregarced a great scale,
with the utmost bOldHess, in sundry places and in
divers manners and that like Judge Maynard
and Surveyor Beatue have actually been detailed
told of to practise as much ciylseTvics abuse as
be readily concealed disguised whom they arc
found out and exposed.
The other organs Of the Independents"
take the same tone. They admit that Mr.
Cleveland has betrayed them. IL was only a
few weeks ago that Harper's Weekly"
squarely acknowledged that Mr.. Cleveland had
yielded to the pressure Of his party-to the
pressure for spoils and plumber.
Nevertheless. The Independence arc COM
mending Mr.. Cleveland for reelection He
has betrayed the cause which they have at
heart. No matter-they are willing that he
should have an opportunity to betray it for four
years more. In 1884 they voted for Cleveland,
the reformer. This year the mask is off no
matter, they can stomach Cleveland, the leader
of what Mr.. Curtis has called the conspiracy
for spoils and punder. They surrender with
out an effort. They are for Cleveland, without
making any endeayor to have him set aside for
a trustworthy reformer. 1t is not great
victory for the Democratic party, but it is a
bad defeat for the Independentsn
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