Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-09-06
HOT SHOT FROM FORAKER.
The Distinguished Ohioan Pays Eis Re-
spects to Grover Cleyeland-Scmc
Center Hits.

Gov. Foraker, of Ohio, at Richmond
Ind, made a ringing speech. replete
with bristling points. He said:
Let me say to all vino want to know
who Harrison is, think of the Republic
can party. Think of its patriotism, it's
heroism, its sacrifices; think of its hui
manity, its morality, and its matchless
craftsmanship. Think of its great lead
ers-of Lincoln, Seward, Chase, Summer,
Morton, Thaddeus Stevens, Grant. Gar
field and Blaine. Recall their exalted
characters, their learning, their culture
and refinement, their great powers of
intellect, their love Of liberty. and their
zeal for human equality. Remember
what they and their party have done to
preserve National unity, maintain invio-
late our National honor, and TO promote
human welfare. Fill your mind with
this splendid chapter of our history, and
then conceive of man who has been
one OF the prominent controlling factors
and chief inspirations in it all, and you
have Benjamin Harrison. Such a man
needs no other or further eulogy; for
when you say of him that he IS typical
of all the broad humanity, noble gener-
osity, devoted Christianity, unfiinching
patriotism, soldieriy heroism, and I'M
eXampled magnanimity that the Repub-
Ecan party has displayed, you have ac-
corded him the highest virtues he can
possibly possess. All this can be SAID of
Benjamin Harrison truthfully and with
out exaggeration. That's the kind Of q
.'bigot" he is.
But what kind of ''bigot' is Grover
Cleveland? Paint his party and you
have him, too. He is a Democrat; was
born a Democrat: he viii die a Demo
crat. He was a Democrat when Damoc-
racy meant human slavery. He was
Democrat when Democracy meant, in
the language of Judge fancy, ''that a
black man had no rights which a white
man was bound to respect" He was q
Democrat when Democracy meant the
slave pen, the whipping-post, and The
auction-blocks. He is a Democrat who
is without any part whatever I'D any of
the glorious achievements of his day and
genera ton. The Union was saved with
out him. Our armies were raised with
out him. Our battles were fought with
out him. Slavery was abolished with
out him. Secession was shot to death
without him. Suffrage was made uni
versal without him. The grand systems
of finance that have made our country
the wonder and the admiration of the
world, were all conceived and executed
without him. Recall. if you can, the
worst days and the lowest depths and
most infamous practices Of Democracy,
and then paint you man who has lived
through it all, been part of it all, and in
sympathy with 1t all, and you have
Grover Cleveland as he entered upon his
Administration. From then until now
he has been himself the Democratic
party. He has ruled it with rod of
iron He has led it whittier he would.
He has not allowed it to have any viii
inconsistent with his own.
Cleveland has done more to stir up
spirit of sectionalism than any other man
who has figured in the politics of this
country since Appomattox. Everybody
had settled down to the conclusion that
the Union side had triumphed and that
the war was settled according to the
terms prescribed in the Thirteenth, Four
teenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, and
that these provisions must be, in good
faith, accepted and upheld. But how
stands the case to-day? Let me answer
by reading you few extracts from re-
cent utterances of representative South
ern men. They show clearly that the
mind of that people has been turned
back to where it was during the war
with respect to the right of the doctrine
of secession, and that we are to have an
other spell of the Haunting Of that heresy
in our faces. But consider further how
there is no longer denial or apology for
multiplying and trampling under foot the
constitutional amendments comforting
suffrage on black men For years, ever
since 1875, this work has been going on.
but not until Cleveland Administration
has there been an open ayowai and at
fenntnd justification OF IL