Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-11-24
Editor Dana Gives Some Reasons fol
Cleyeland,. Defeat.

Editor Dana Gives Some Reasons for
Cleveland's Defeat.
PARIS, November 23d.-A correspondent of the
New York Herald has had an interview with
Charles A. Dana. editor of the New York sun,
one OF the leading Democratic journals in the
United States, N which he thus expressed him
self regarding American politics and the causes
of CleYeland's defeat:
90 Cleveland was beaten in the recent contest
for the very simple reason that the majority of
the people chose to vote against him. Many
things contributed to the result. In the first
place the chances are all against the reelection
of any President Since 1882 oniy two men
have been twice placed in the Office of Chief
Magistrate. These were Lincoln and Grant,
and they both were kept in the White House
under exceptional circumstances. The military
record of General Grant made him a public
hero. Abraham Lincoln would never have
been reelected but for tie continuance of the
war.
'Pre ident Van Buren, was most popular
during his first term, and he had the support OF
Jackson, yet when he ran for a secoEd term in
1910 he was Overwhelmingly defeated
Therefore, on general principles in order to
insure President second term of office, there
must b something special and of unusual i'm
portance TO commend him to public favor
Cleveland had no such element to aid him.
On the contrary he was handicapped in many
ways. He had no strong personal friends He
was cordially oisiked by the leaders OF the
Democratic party and the political directors in
the democratic press even before the election
HIS USFoPuLARITY.
II do not believe there was more unpopular
person in the United States than he and after
next March, when the game is all over the
universal wonder will be how such man as
Cleveland ever came to fill such high position.
During his administration he di1 nothing to win
the confidence and support of his party. In fact
he did rot care copper for the real interests of
the Democrats. What he worked aud scbemed
for from beginning to end was the welfare and
advancement of Grover Cleveland. In his lnsn-
ner toward his supporters he was always cold
ana overbearing, and he never by any chance
put himself out to be courteous or accommodate
ing. He thought himself man OF destiny and
50 far above his followers that he could kick
them about as he pleased. He has finally dis
covered his mistake.
''He was always Try ing 10 produce a sensation
which would make the people talk about him.
He did not choose any given line of action so
much because he believed in it as because he
believed in advantages tor himself. He did not
dare veto either the oleomargarine bill or the
river ard harbor bill, although he was con
WINGED that they both were unwise. He did
veto a lot of pension bills because ne saw an op-
poriunity to set the people talking.
His knowledge on all subjects was super
fetal. In many things he made mistakes as to
what would really rebound to his advantage
His negotiation of the fisheries treaty and the
eXtradition treaty did him much harm among
the Irish and the fishermen.
HIS cHIyF BLuSDRR.
IF he had not been politically dead already.
of course mis- position on the tariff would have
finished him. This last election has settled the
free-trade question. No party can succeed in
the United states which waivers in its adherence
| to protection. California wants protection for
| its wines and woalens and frdits Alabama
wants it for its iron, and so viii Colorado in
| time. The whole West want 1t for manuiacto-
ries and industries which are sprinCing up there
as by magic. The East has always wanted it,
| and the South will follow suit.
" The Democrats were beaten in fair fight
| because they deserved to be. There was never
| an election more uuiet and orderly. There
never was one with less corruption. The talk
| about Cleveland having been knitted in New
| York by Hill and Hewitt is nonsense. These
| two men aided, rather than injured the presi.
| Dental 9didate. The bitterness arose in New
| York SIS Z by
FRACTIONAL JEALoUsIES
| Which resulted ia the drawing out of an i'm.
mense vote, which always helps the Democrats
| Furthermore. Hill gained thousands of votes
| from among Republicans opposed 10 restricting
4 the sale of liquors, and many such men were
| thus led to cast a straight Democratic ticket.
"If the Democrats had chosen as their candi
date man without Cleveland's host of enc
| mics; if they had excluded IRON their platform
| anything which might be construed as leaning
| toward free trade, think there is no doubt tina
| they would have been successful As it is, thel
| are set back where they were twenty years ago
| and they have Republican majority agains
| them in both houses.
THE sAcKvILLE LETTER.
1.-THE sackville incident had little effect, il
my opinion, on the result. 1t came too late
Cleyeiauds mistake here ives not in paekin,
| Lord Saekville OFF to England ten days soone
than he did. When the British Minister a
| Washington asserts as he practically did. tina
the President of the United States is fool ant
demagogue, it is high time that the Queen sen
| us another representative"