Omaha daily bee., 1888-11-12
oLORTryTyg CLET-ELAYD.

Defeat has not lessened the admira-
ton Of a certain class OF democrats and
their so-called independent allies
for Mr.. Cleveland. They IN
tinue to pirate Of the courage Of
their hero, of the wisdom OF his ad-
ministration, OF his unselfsh patriot
ism, Of his boundless concern for the
welfare OF the whole people, and Of all
the other virtues which distinguish
great men from those of meaner quail
ity. These admirers and eulogists Of
the president imply that the intelligent
American people we're incapable OF APP
preciating the exceptional virtues OF
Mr.. Cleveland, and that it will
remain to history TO accord to him and
to his administration the honor due.
Let il be granted that Mr.. Cleveland
is no ordinary man, and still there Is no
| ground for the apotheosis of his idol
ators. He was neither born to great
ness nor achieved it, but had it thrust
| upon him. He was a competent sheriff
and an efficient mayor, developing in
the latter capacity certain sterling quail
tiles which the exigency that made his
election possible demanded. There had
been an era OF corruption and loose
government in the city of his
home, to reform which a man
! of strong will and determined pur-
pose was required. A lawyer who
| was a bosom friend of Mr.. Cleveland
and knew that he had will and de-
termination put him forward rs a can
didate, and he was successful. He
justified the promises hat had been
made in his behalf, and when in 1882
the democracy OF New York were cast
| ing about for an available candidate for
governor, the Buffalo lawyer who had
thrust Cleveland into the political
| arena was able to push him a step for
| ward in securing for him the guber-
Material nomination. Republican dis
affection gave him the election by an
unprecedented majority.
But while Mr.. Cleveland was an
eficienta and useful mayor, 1t was speedily
discovered that he was not likely to
improve his record in public life in the
| broader aud more difficult field of state
affairs, and he was little more than q
fgurehead in the Office OF governor.
| He did, however, discover certain traits
of character which have since been
more strongly developed to his own in
jury. His great majority naturally
gave him notable prestige, and in 1884
he wa successful over tried and exper-
fenced statesmen in securing the nOmt-
nation for the presidency. Everybody
admits that his election was a SCRATCH"
but to Mr.. Cleveland himself it was an
evidence of personal greatness and he
speedily grew to regard himself as a
mighty political force quite invincibie.
1t was this feeling which led him during
the first two years of his administra-
ton to ignore the counsel of most of
the leaders OF his party, wholly estrang-
ing from himself many of them, some
| Of whom are doubtless not among the
mourners over his defeat. He arrayed
the representatives of his party in con-
gress against him on the silver question
and for two years his recommendations
to congress received hardly the re-
spectful attention OF democrats in that
body and in the country. He had a few
devoted followers, but the large major
ity were not friendly to him, and the
more %outspoken of them did not hest
tate to publicly declare their displeas-
ure.
Ever looking forward to a
second term and planning to that
end, Mr.. Cleveland saw the
necessity of a clearly defined issue, and
hence the tariff message. To what ex-
tent this move was inspired by the
southern ad visers whom he had taken
into his counsel may never be known,
but at any rate there was a manifesto
tiOn OF courage in the stand thus taken.
1t brought the issue squarely before the
country, and it was perhaps better to
make it this year than to postpone it
four years longer. Both parties are
wiser than before regarding popular
sentiment on this question. But when
this is said of Mr.. Cleveland, what
more is there that will rem
der his administration memorable,
or that entities him to the
fulsome CONTAMINATION of his admirers?
In whatever direction he has not been
compelled to move on republican lines
his administration has contributed
nothing to the advantage or honor Of
the country, and there is every reason
to believe that but for the check i'm
posed by a republican senate there
would be far more to regret than
there is.
The effort to rank Mr.. Cleveland as
h statesman must fail. There is no
evidence to support such a claim. If
his administration has done no other
injury to the country than to bring upon
it some loss of dignity in the worlds
opinion the credit is not to be given to
his wisdom. or his patriotism, but to
conditions which he was unable to
control.