The National tribune., 1888-11-15
LET THE TRUmpErs BLOW.

reelection as President their cold, malig-
nant enemy, whose whole official career as
Mayor, as Governor and as President has
been characterized by inveterate hostility
to them. While occasionally feeding them
with sterile compliments, he much more
often insulted them with outrageous dis
paragement as individuals and as a class,
and let few opportunities pass Of striking
them deadly blows. When Mr.. CleveIand's
career comes to be summed up cOolly and
impartially, people viii be amazed at the
amount of direct harm he was able to in
fiict upon the men who saved the coun-
try at the expense of their health, strength
and ability. They viii be amazed that any
man elected to Office in country rejoicing
in such unexampled prosperity, resulting
from the valor and sacrifices of these men,
should almost constantly speak of them with
such contempt The veterans have properly
rebuked him, however, by an almost solid
vote against him, which directly decided the
issue in several States. By their powerful
help every Northern State was carried
against him, except Connecticut and New
Jersey, which were saved to him by the Pro-
hibitionists. To the veterans vote also is
due the credit of carrying West Virginia
against the combined ex-Confederates and
Prohibitionists.
This secured the election-by the decisive
majority of II in the Electoral College-Of a
man who was a gallant soldier in hefield, and
who has been true comrade ever since, and
who is consequently in entire sympathy with
the cause for which the war was fought, and
with the men who fought the war through
to a glorious victory.
The next incident in the triumph Of the
veterans was the defeat of CORTLAND G.
Mats6n for Governor of Indiana. The issue
between him and them was personal. He
had used position to which he had been
elected by veteran votes to cruelty betray
them, in the furtherance of his personal am
bition. The issue was whether he OF any
politician could offend against them so
Hagrantly without receiving punishment at
their hands. This was a matter outside of
politics. 1t had an interest not confined by
the boundaries of Indiana The comrades
in every State-and without reference to
politics-had suffered equally from Col
8Iatson's wrong-doing, and they looked to
the comrades Of Indiana to ignore politics
/ in inhicting upon him well-merited punish
ment They were not disappointed. Com
rades in Indiana forgot that they were
Democrats, Prohibitionists, Greenbackers or
Labor Reformers in their desire to defeat
the man who had betrayed them and their
comrades everywhere. Col Matson knows
that his defeat was directly due to these
men, and politicians everywhere, and Of
every stripe. know the same thing, and will
take warning.
Of hardly less importance than the de-
| feat Of Mr.. Cleveland and the election of q
comrade in his place, is the control of Con
gress. This was also victory for the vet
Grams. They asserted themselves and battled
for their rights; supported their friends and
opposed their enemies, without regard to
party, in every Congressional District in
which they had any strength at all. They
brought candidates of all political complex.
ions strictly to book, and let it be generally
understood that they were thoroughly il
earnest, and no man could expect their votes
who was not entirely sound upon the ques
ton that WAS vital to them. The result 0
this decided stand was glorious. They vii
have a good working majority of thei
friends in both Houses Of Congress. Thi
majority is not confined by any means t
the Republicans, for there are numbers Q