Omaha daily bee., 1888-09-27
Politician or Stntesman2

OF both political parties, regarding Pres
ident Cleveland. This symposium may
not possess any very great value, since
the views are necessarily more or less
colored by partisan bias. but it has q
certain interest as showing the impress
sion which Mr.. Cleveland has made on
the minds of the men who have had the
best reason and the best opportunity to
study his qualities OF mind and charac-
ter. The conspicuous fact in the
presentation is that most of these
congressman esteem the president
u much better politician than states
man. There are some, Of course, who
profess to regard him n great success in
both. There are others who pretend
to think that he is very little Of a poll
tician and very much OF a statesman.
But the larger number entertain the
opinion that Mr.. Cleveland has not de-
veloped very marked craftsmanship,
while he has been notably successful in
acquiring and practicing the arts and
devices of practical politics. One re-
publican representative said: "As a
statesman Mr.. Cleveland is a failure.
AS a politician he is a success. Pro-
Tossing to have convictions, they do not
stand in his way If they constitute a bar
rier to success" A democratic represent
ative, after implying that Mr.. Cleveland
had not had the study, observation and
large experience necessary to states
manship, said: GAS a politician he is q
success. He knows what to do in an
emergency, and has the faculty OF turn
ing apparent adversely to a good ac-
count" There was much more said in
a similar vein, coupled with a proper
recognition of Mr.. Cleveland's strong
will, energy and industry.
If Mr.. Cleveland is anything he is a
politician. A review of his record made
in the most generous and candid spirit
must show that he is not n statesman.
Where is the evidence of craftsmanship?
In what direction has he given any sign
during his public career of an ability
and breadth Of view higher than that
of the politician seeking the advance
ment of personal ambition? In what
respect as governor of New York did he
show any of the qualities of n states
man? That state never had a more
commonplace executive, and it is motor
ious hat during Cleveland's incum-
bency the administration was largely
directed by a few bosom politicians who
had achieved his confidence, chief
among whom was the late Daniel Man
ming. Mr.. Cleveland, however, devel-
oped an ambition, and improved his
| opportunity to learn something of prac-
teal politics, of which he knew very
little when he became governor.
Until this time Mr.. Cleveland, so far
as the world knows, had given no con-
| sideration whatever TO affairs of state.
He was q very ordinary lawyer, and his
| general intellectual equipment was by
no means great. How could such a man
develop into a statesman in a public life
of five years, having at the beginning
absolutely no knowledge of s~tatecraft -?
houn as representative statesmen of this
country, and Gladstone and Bismarck Of
Europe, but no one who cares for his
Judgment would associate Mr.. Cleve-
land with any Of these. He has
originated no new policy and
carried his party to the sup
port of no new principle. He
did have the courage to shape a course
for the party regarding tho tariff, and
succeeded in uniting it in support of the
policy he outlined. But there was
nothing new in this policy. and since it
was proclaimed Mr.. Cleveland has
found it %expedient to explain to the
country that he didn't mean what the
general Judgment Of the country ac-
copied as his meaning. 1t is the polit-
ician, not the statesman, hat balks and
hedges in this fashion. What sort of
craftsmanship has been shown in the
management of the financial affairs of
the government, when the money in the
treasury that should have gone di-
rectly to the people was deposited to
swell the gains Of the banks, and
to-day the treasury is paying four per
cent more for bonds that it could have
purchased them forlast January? Where
is the craftsmanship that has distin-
guished our international relations,
which under the present administration
have Inundated the country as it was
never before Inundated? And so with
respect to the whole course of President
Cleveland there is not to be found 6
single evidence of craftsmanship.
But on the other hand the proofs o
the politicians planning are abundant
They are found in the open violations
of the civil service law hat nave beef
permitted in the foisting on the pub
lie service Of men having neither
capacity nor character at the demand
Of political bosses; IN the course tina
has recently been pursued in turning
out competent and faithful republican
clerks in the railway mail service t.
make places for democrats; in the effor'
to increase the complications of the con
troversy with Canada; in the cours,
pursued regarding the Chinese question
and in other respects familiar to all in
telligent observers of events. Nor i
Mr.. Cleveland an altogether skillfu
politician, for he has never been able Il