Middletown transcript., 1888-10-25
WHY INDEPENDENTS SHOULD
VOTE FOR CLEVELAND

to be an answer to the question, as tt
the duty of independent voters in the
coming national election.
Mr.. LEAFS answer is given at length
and is summed up in language as fol-
lows: 81 stand where did in 1884,
and denounce Mr.. Cleveland because
he has proved false to all his pledges
made to secure the Independent vot'
which elected him, and because his re
election would mean the indefinite
postponement of reform.''
The position occupied by Mr.. Let
in 1884, as warm supporter of Mr.
Cleveland, then a candidate for The
office of President of the United States
as contrasted with the language quoted
above, coupled with the well known
integrity, and honesty of purpose O.
the person to whom it is credited
would, without explanation, and
examination into some of the
accompanying circumstances, .o1
necessity carry great weight, and serve
the purpose for which they are evident
ly intended, of alternating many of the
present friends of the President, and
incidentally, of governmental reform.
Therefore before answering, and il
part refuting the unwarranted 'conclu'
sions arrived at by the eminent writer
of the article referred to, we viii
briefly state one or two facts insep'
arably associated with him in order to
more properly measure the strength OF
his apparently disinterested political op-
position to Mr.. Cleveland.
Mr.. Lea has never if we remember
rightly been Democrat. His inde-
pendence therefore while admitted,
has been strongly favored with Repub-
lican tendencies. He is strong ad-
vocate ofprotection, and by analogy
in the recent contest, of the Republi-
can party. He supported Mr.. Cleve-
land in 1884, concientiously no doubt,
on the then issue of Civil Service Re-
form, but like many other indepen-
dents, more particularly, because OF a
dislike to Blaine and Blaineism. With
this explanatory preface we leave the
question of how far the conclusion
of Mr.. LEAFS argument should go in
establishing conviction in the minds
of those independents, who, in order to
include all citizens not of Mr.. LEAFS
primary political opinions, we will
class, as Tariff Reformers, and also
those of Democratic tendencies.
That the facts presented and the
figures given by Mr.. Lea are false
however, we have not the slightest in
tention to assert nor do we deny that
Mr.. Cleveland has removed in many
cases worthy incumbents of office, indi-
vidually speaking, and that the
changes in the aggregate have
exceeded in number the antici-
pations of many. That he has
been unfortunate in some of his
selections, impolitic, yes wrong in
some of his utterances, we are not
politician enough to deny. Yet when n
the circumstances attendant on each
case, or taken as a whole, are viewed
in the light of present result, switch is
the more logical deduction TO
turn away from an administra-
tion which has accomplished, if a
little only, all that has ever been
accomplished in the way of Civil Ser
vice Reform, and, because of failure to
compass all that might seem possible
to the Utopian reasoner, but utterly be-
yond the ken of practical politics, to
turn to that party, from which the
absence of any pledges tending to COR
rect evils in the line of Civil Service
Reform, compelled from Inde-
pendents recognition of the other !;
and whose voice on that ques-
ton is significantly silent in the con-
test now waging,-or, while not con-
doning the errors of the present admin
istration, resultant rather from cir
cumstances beyond control of the man,
than from any lack of desire on
his part that they be other than
what they are, give continued
support and assistance in for
warding what has been COM
menced at least in spirit of conces-
sion and reasonableness.
The administration of Grover Cleve-
land stands to-day, as an example of
that upward tendency toward better
things, hoped for by all, but never ex-
pected to be accomplished in a day
by any except enthusiasts, or the un.
tried in the arena of practical politics.
This might be deemed by some suf-
ficient reason to induce the continued
support of that class of voters, whose
power in determining into whose hands
the reins of Government should be
placed, is becoming, and properly so,
check on the unscrupulous and mer-
cenary Politicians of both the domi-
nant parties. Yet we will go a ster
further and support our argument by
evidence that proves that even in the
minds of men unbiased either by
party prejudice, soured by no disap-
pointed ambitions, weighted down by
no affiliations either of faction or foe,
and therefore properly to be classed as
of the Independents, there is the same
unwavering faith in the intent OF
the President to place the administra-
tion of our national affairs on that
higher plane of politics, which is the
wish of all patriots to accomplish. In
an editorial answer to query of like
nature to that put to Mr.. Lea, Geo.
VIM. Curtis, of Harper's Weekly Oct.