New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-19
CJEVEL4ND As DECOY DUCK.

The spectacle which President Cleveland is
now making of himself is indeed pitiful He
was elected four years ago as reformer.
Since then he has taken frequent occasion to
assure his countrymen that in him reform had
jealous and uncompromising champion. And
yet now he turns up as a decoy duck in the
service of David B. Hill Already Mr.. Glove
land has caused it to be known that he desires
the election Of the Governor. Congressman
Tracey in a recent speech at Albany took pains
to inform his hearers that-we quote from
"The Albany Argus's'' report Of his remarks
"he knew that President Cleveland expected
all his friends to unite for the success of the
candidate for Governor of the Stateo How
does this Endorsement of Hill by Cleveland
strike reputable citizens? How does it strike
the leading Democrats of this city who on
public and party grounds recently protested
against the Governors denomination? How
does it strike the level-headed Independent
voter?
1t is to be hoped that Mr.. Clevelands in
dorsement of Hill viii have the widest circula-
ton. The wider the better 1t can scarcely
fail to open the eyes of those who may have
been slow to discover the dishonest nature of
the Presidents reform professions. 1t must be
clear to intelligent men that if Mr. Cleveland
is supporter of Hill, it necessarily follows
that his devotion to the things that make for
the elevation of politics is purely imaginary.
Hill stands to-day for all that is most pernicious
and demoralizng in politics. Still the PreSi-
den, backs him. Hill has never regarded the
high Office of Governor as public trust he
has regarded it as a piece Of his personal prop
erty-something to use in the service of his
ambition, to reward his friends and punish his
enemies. Still the President backs him. Hill
has constantly shown his contempt for the
moral sentiment Of the State, sacrificing the
home for the saloon, declining to allow adj
ditional safeguards to be placed around the
ballot-box for fear of interfering with the self
ish schemes of Democratic bosses. Still the
President backs him. Hill got 81 5000 out
of the public treasury to aid him in his canvass
Of three years ago-a transaction that would
have given increased notoriety and satisfaction
to Tweed himself. Still tho President backs
him. A mass meeting of Democrats was held
in this city shortly before the Democratic State
Convention assembled. 1t was presided over
Dy w neelcr IL. IecknaM, cltlZen OF the nigh
est standing, and was attended by such other
well-known Democrats as Oswald Ottendorfer.
Arson Phelps Stokes, John ID. Herman and
Charles Coudert. In the address which this
meeting adopted, David b. Hill is truthfully
spoken Of as " a man who in his public career
during the last four years as Governor of this
State has earned reputation as lacking every
quality for holding office in scf-respecting
Democratic community" Still the President
backs him. The newspapers Of the metropolis
that are recognized as being distinctively
Cleveland organs have denounced Hill as an
INSCRIPTIONS demagoguc and are working for
his defeat. Still the President backs him.
TIE TRIBUNE lately made a damnng.
though far from exhaustive exposure Of Mr..
Cleyeland's pretcnccs as Civil Service re-
former. 1t convicted him of placing large
and varied assortment Of rascals in the Federal
Offices Now the President proceeds to add
another count to the indictment against him
BY electioneering for peanut politician, whose