Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-24
framed, declared that "if these ex-soldier:
ara tn be ralie4ed they and their cauSA ar,

are to be relieved they and their cause are
entitled to the benefit of an enactment un-
der which relief may be claimed as right,
and such relief granted under the sanction
of law, not in evasion of it." The Depend
ent Pension bill was passed January %,
1887. 1t provided a pension for every man
who had served three months in any war OF
the country and had come TO be dependent
on the charity of others through no personal
fault or vice. The President vetoed this
! bill. The Mexican Pension bill, passed
about the same time. provided.a pension for
every body over the age Of sixty-two years.
which would include nearly all, who had
served two months in the Mexican war,
whether dependent or not 1t was less dis
eliminating and less neritorious than the
Dependent Pension bill, but 1t provided for
the soldiers in war in which the South was
specially interested, IN which many South
erners had served, and the President signed
it. These acts and the rebel flag order Mr..
OConnor criticises as follows:
| Setting aside all mere clubbing about de
tails it was not possible for Mr.. Cleveland hon.
estly to approve OF one OF these measures and
| veto the other. There was an Inconsistency IN
his course so gross that II can not be explained
| away VII 1t do to say that he thought the
| Mexican veterans more worthy OF help than
/
not. Is it good plea that the Government
should wait until certain proportion Of those
who need its bounty have died of before grant
! ing it? BY no means, If we acknowledge the
dnty of aiding them 81 ell. What can we sup
pose them save that the President thought the
Southerners, in some way or other, should have
a share OF the Federal bounty in the shape OF
pensions, or that he was compelled to sacrifice
his own consistency rather than Pun counter to
the Southern viii?
Let any one who doubts the simple meaning
of his acts in regard to these bills consider the
order restoring the rebel battle-fags, in which
the Administration plainly undertook TO pander
to what it supposed TO be Southern sentiment
| That action was politically evil because it
tended to cherish at the South the war feeling
that the admirers of the President hare been
urging the Northern people to forget; il vas
illegal because it attempted to dispose OF pub
lie property tina: the President had no right 10
touch; it was absurd tnasmuch as it assumed
to return Confederate flags to States that
could not be regarded as their owners; it was
scandaIous because it put the Union flags in
the possession OF the Government in the same
| category with the rebel flags, and il was dis
honestly defended on the false plea that it had
bees the custom Of the War Department to
give away the flags. Not less Significant than
the issuing Of the order was the Presidents
letter Of June Is, 1887, Withdrawing it in the
that was made. That act showed that While
he would go far to keep the South loyal to his
fortunes, he was perfectly ready to retreat at
the first unmistakable sign that he had gone
too far for the patience OF the North.
The most admirable part of Mr.. O'Con-
nor's Indictment of the President is the sum
mary he makes Of the meanness, weakness,
hypocrisy, duphcity and sectionahsm OF
the Presidential policy. It is clever piece
] E 81 - =
The reader Will see that have dwelt only on
these things which the admirers OF the Presi-
dent regard as his peculiar glories, and that my
argument against his denomination Is based on
what are considered his strongest points. do
not care to pick out for censure whatever bad
appointments he has made, or to r.dicule his
/ attack on journalists, while keeping court re.
porter to tell how many fish he caught every
day in the North Woods, or to laugh at his con-
slant whining. under criticism, for special
/ courtesy, though unwilling to treat the motives
OF others with ordinary charity. Let Us pass
over the Presidential electionoering trips and
the artless speeches got up for every important
town, out of Appleton's Cyclopedia. Let US
lay no emphasis on telephone or on reatestate
scandals; or petty inconsistencies Ike the
veto OF Mrs. Hunters pension after the approx
al of Mrs. Hancock's and the increasing OF the
revenue by signing the bill taxing oleomarga-
rine, while clamoring for q reduction Of the
surplus. And let US fling the mantle OF charity
over weak and pompous foreign policy.
Put the case on broad and simple grounds
| Mr. Cleveland, SO far as he was the representa-
! tive of the Democracy, went into the Office on
the theory that Republican Administration was
full Of corruption, that Republican methods
should be changed, and that Repu rcan policy
should il some i'm portant matters be reversed.
From party standpoint, what is his recordf II
is plain as tho result Of his Administration that
~ D. Iinop o-l6 n
the public money to q single cent: that not a Re-
publican official could be charged with dishonor;
that Republican ethoGs were too good to De
discarded; ana that there was no new policy
which Democratic Admin strapicn could
adopt and carry tn ough. Mr. Cleveland has
not said single thing, nor done single
/ great thing snce March d, lS65-except
! that, after tho manner OF many an
| other well TO do CID bachelor he has married
O charming young wife. But that achievement
alone does not conet tute . valid claim TO
nomination and reelection. II he represents
the best that Democracy can co. the Eepuoh-
can party is entitled 10 a new lease Of power.
And while deny ny to tAe Administration spe.
cial accomplishment Il great matters IL IS not
posi- le to conceSe to II what may be, in peace
/ full times. G better thing n man or government
general mob lty Of character II has rendered
no serv cS to good government save lip service;
/ and its most mSrEed Characteristic IS certain
/ moral dishonesty that rouses in me- feeling
ak TO disgust. II IS pre-eminenuy the can't
! iig Adm nistration of the Republic. Excessive
piely and superintendent self-rlghteousness
/ leak out of Il Ut every pore. II drops fine senI-
ments fasfer than the Arabian trees their re-
dicinal gums. II can not snesze without tru-
! ism, or 60 on vac3t on except TO slow music,
! or dismiss = fourth-Cl2ss postmaster save with
an appeal to the eternal varieties. II cants in
! dreams and sHoTes p@ans 10 that reform that
! reform which never was on land or sea. O1e
/ might imarlne its political hypocrisy studied
! out OF Machiaven's Prince save for certain
crudlties watch characterize It Gs the natural
/ product Of . Tich but uncult.v2ted cunning. u
/ was peculiarly of Henry VII that the prick
ing OF a sensitive conscience always prompted
/ him to whatever rasc2ltty he set his mind upon,
and there IS something OF the same prop 3ls!ty
to justify wrong -doiag by righteous scrup!e5 N
! this Adm nistration.
1t does the most commonplace act OF mean.
ness with the air o. CuTLiuS le2p!rR into tho
/ gulf in the forum 1t is like the tribes along
/ the Arabian coast, described by Sir John Nal.
cOln who give you the most plous IS1scn5
/ for every yillaily they commit" and quite
! text Of the Koran for every trs1sgress!oa. Be-
/ regarded as j blunt, STRAIGHTFORWARD nan, OF
/ executive ability and honest purpose, disposed
| to work much and say little: but, Cd often
/ happens 10 men exalted 10 ru.e-ship. he has
I degenerated in the face OF supreme opportuni-
| ties. He has become poscur, model letter
/ writer, 4 maker Of phrases, dealer II double
1 ended opinions, g sort OF political Ta7,uGe. Ee
keeps on the ragged edge OF every difficult Qres-
ton, and rehearses platitudes as II they were
profound and original CONVICTIONS, so that one
| is disposed. after three years OF this eor. OF
thing, 70 turn on MS heel. Ike Sir Peter Te&14e
and exclaina; Damn your se1tlneats.
In Mr. C,eveand's case we see clearly ~hct
Mr.. Tliden called 4" the futili-y OF selt-.upcsei
/ restrictions by candidates or tacuuoents." and
oppose his denomination because there 3
nothing n the world 10 recommend IL save
1.-The availability party f1as n an !rcrmoelt
when horde of ofdce-aolaeIs. VITA zeal eora