The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-06-28
A POWERFUL INDICTMENT.

AuC uOSb COuYICucuSlNc CbuSbiC VI
raignment Of President Cleveland that has
. ever been published, says the Cleveland
Lericr, has been written BY Democrat
whose Democracy has never been ques-
toned, who, as editor Of the Buffalo Courier,
supported Cleveland for Mayor, for Gov
ernor and for President, and who never
asked favor from the President-Joseph
O'Counor, now of Rochester. This review
Of the official career Of the Chief Magistrate
published In the New York Sun would fill
five columns of the Leader, and IL is mas
terpiece of literature as well as of logic.
Its great interest and Importance, its graces
Of diction and forceful truth, justify some
what extended abstracts and quotations.
Regarding Mr. Cleveand's declaration
against q second term and his subsequent
efforts to secure denomination, Mr.. OCon-
nor says
II he believed what he said, then he can not
honestly seek second term. Ho has by I'M
plication cast suspicion 4 the men OF the past
who have aspired to q second term, and tho
men OF the future who may aspire to It, and he
con not pload exemption for himself ns higher
and holicr than tho rest Of humanity In de-
liberately pursuing On end which no thinks
dangerous to the Republic, and declares at
tainable only through corrupt means, he be-
comes transgressor conscious Of his wrong
doing. Under my Interpretation, the essence
of such conduct Is fraud.
am disposed to think that whou Mr.. Clevo-
land wrote his letter OF acceptance he did not
mean to run for tho Presidency o second time
but the temptations OF the great once, the il
trigues Of politicians whose fortunes depend
upon his continuance in power, tho anxiety OF
the South, and, let 1t be said with all due re-
spect. the natural desire OF the woman whom
no has married to spend few more OF tho
years Of her youth in the high social position
mo hnld nil hny tiuitp1 hfa
resolution. II looks us II he had given way,
knowing tho meanncss OF weakness, and rs II
there had been something like breaking down
of his manhood, II not OF his moral nature, in
consequence. At any rate, through his duplicity
in this matter, his whole Administration has
become tainted with falsehood.
Two columns of the review are devoted to
the sham and hypocrisy of the Presidents
Civil-Service reform pretensions. Mr..
O'Connor tells how in 1882, while preparing
for an aggressive Gubernatorial campaign,
Mr. Cleveland began the composition Of
speech upon tho rascalities of tho Repub-
lican party" but when the revolt against
Judge Folger's nomination occurred he
thrust this speech aside and played the
non-partisan dodge for all 1t was worth.
Then follows q list Of his Civil-Scrvice re-
form pledges, in letters TO Mr.. Curtis and
Mr.. Eaton, and in his messages, with con-
yincing proofs OF the shameful violation OF
every one of them. With these pledges and
proofs Of violation our readers are suf1l-
GENTLY familiar. Mr.. O'Connor closes this
branch of the subject as follows:
In the hope of Republican support, Mr.. Cleve-
land made his pledges; in the necessity for
Democratic support he violated them. He
found tho cause of Civil-Service reform in good
condition; he added nothing to 1t through leg
islation; he discredited 1t by his Hypocrisy. 1t
is cause whose success depends upon the good
faith OF oil officials and the support OF both
partiesi and yet its especial champions, the
independent Republicans jeoparded 1t by
seeking to identify it with the political fortunes
of one man. Nothing was gained but brief
DELAY in filling the Federal Offices with Demo-
Gratis; but Mr.. Cleveland, through keeping up
for a time the pretense OF not rewarding party
loyalty, was enabled to make loyalty to himself
tho condition OF appointment, and SO became,
as no man for many years has been, the abso'
luto master OF the Democratic organization.
He played the reformer exclusively ut the ex-
pense OF Democratic politicians that he wanted
TO get out OF his way. For the sake OF second
torn he tried non-partisanship; ana when he
found that the charm was broken, and he
could no longer conjure with It, he fell back on
partisanship for the sake OF second term.
Mr.. Clevelands record in regard to the
tariff issue, and the motives which have
ipspired his course, afford Mr.. O'Connor
opportunity for some wholesome truth
telling
In rearranging the political game 1t was nee.
essary for Mr. Cleveland to identify himself In
q special way with some distnctively Demo.
cratic doctrine IN order to make the issue in
his second caa?ass, to great extent, parti'
san one. And so, for want OF better, he
chose revenue reform as the traditional issue
on which to go before the National convention
of his party and before the country. In this
matter too, he was forced by stress Of circum-
stances into cowardly duplcity
The declaration OF principles made by the
National Democratic convention OF 1884 was
very cautiously worded, in SO far as 1t dealt
with reform Of the tariff, as 1t was the opinion
of politicians generally that the brief demand
for O tariff for revenue only" made In 1880,
had led to the defeat OF the Democratic candi-
date of that year. General Hancock Mr..
Cleveland carefully avoided any allusion to tho
subject In his letter OF acceptance; and there
was o great anxiety throughout the canvass
TO keep Democratic speakers and editors from
discussing IL. In some quarters the tarin ter
ror was pitabe. In the inaugural address Mr..
Cleveland merely mentioned the tarin, de-
tnanding "that our system OF revenue snail be
so adjusted as to relieve the people from un.
necessary taxation, having due regard TO
the interests OF capital invested and working
men employed in American industries, ana
preventing the accumulation OF q surplus in the
Treasury to tempt extravaganza and waste"
Tho staunchest protectionist would not quarrel
with that statement.
The motive underlying this change of
position on the tariff question is thus de-
scribed:
Why did II require nearly three years for the
Democratic President TO advance beyond the
position IN favor OF revenue reform which
President Arthur held in 1882 II Is conceded
that the tariff law ought to be recast, ana that
the work ought not TO be done in partisan
spirit; and that point Mr.. Cleveland cunningly
urged. But why did he put the matter into
such shape that 1t would bo almost impossi-
BILE to keep partisanship out OF the discussionf
Simply because, at tho threshold Of his first
year. Mr. Cleveland did not care for reelection,
or hoped to compass II through nonpartisan-
ship; while ut the threshold Of 1883 he was
eager for reelection, and saw no chance for at
tanning 1t texcept through forcing tariff reform
as q party issue. And SO he took up tariff re-
vision as q: political charlatan and not as
statesman,
Then follow quotations from Mr.. Clevc-
lands first, second and third annual mes
sages, showing how he gradually but surely
executed q complete flop on the tariff ques-
tion, passing from the position Of moderate
protection to that Of unqualified free trade.
Concerning the Presidents oft quoted
declaration: ut Is q condition which con-
fronts US, not theory" Mr.. OConnor
says:
1t is O taking phrase, which Democrats with
out the courage OF their convictions are fona Of
quoting; but II is merely rhetorical subterfuge.
Tho theory lies behind the condition, and 1t
makes all the difference In the world whether
the free trader or the protectionist cut down
the revenue from import duties. So vital Is the