The morning news., 1889-05-29

The speech of Mr. Cleveland, at the din
ner given in his honor, on Monday night,
by the You Mems Democratic Club If
New York, the full tsxt of which was
printed in our dispatches yesterday, was on
the h gh plane OF all Of his public utter
ances. 1t was short speech, bit an excel
lent one 1t was in harmony with his
political career. In it he presented clearly
the thought that has guided him since he
entered public life.
When Mr.. Cleveland was in offics hs kept
steadily in view the fact that he was a ser =
want of the people, and that he was the
| administrator of a great trust. He recog-
| nized that this trust was to be administered
for the public good, aud not to graft his
own wishes, or to advance his political
fortunes. The result is that although he is
now without political power or influence
his popularity is undiminished, and his
public remarks are received with profound
interest.
In his speech Mr.. Cleveland laid special
stress upon the necessity for political party
TO be honest. In this connection he said: But
in this day of partisan feeling AMI attach
ment it is well for US to pause and recall
the truth, that the only justification for the
existence of any party i, the claim that in
principal a ID performance it's object and
purposes are the promotion of the public
good, and the advancement of welfare
and pr sperity Of the tire country. There
never was party platform or declara
tion of principles which did not
profess these things and make
them the foundation Of party creed; and
any boiy OF men who should opslly pro-
claim that they were associated together
for the express purpose of gaining su-
premacy in the goverh'nent, with the sole
iate of distributing the offi.ss and the
spoils of victory among their associates,
would be treated with ridicule ald scorn
Thus are we brought face to face with the
proposition that parties should, no more
than individuals, be untruthful and dis
honest
Mr.. Cleveland incurred the hostility of
many Of the politicians of his party when
he was President because he wouli not
place the demands of the office seekers
above party principles. He acted upon the
idea that the Democratic party had been
put into power by the people in order that
the government might be administered on
democratic principles, and not in order
that the Offices might be enjoyed by demo-
Gratis. In this respect MS adninist alton
pronises to occupy much higher place
in the estimation of the people than
that of President Harrison. The
latter is now rem wing postm lst.rs at the
rate of about a thousand week, and if it
were not for the civil service law, it is not
improbable that he would turn every demo-
crat out of office. There is another thing
that Mr. Cleveland did not do that Presi-
dent Harrison is charged with doing. He
did not atte n2t to influence the press in
his favor. Gen. Harrison has noni atei
for ONE of the most important Offices in his
gift editors of leading republican news
papers.
Mr. Cleveland's speech was quiet and
thoughtful one, and was well calculated to
keep the people talking about him He
may not be the democratic standard bea er
in 1892, but if he is, it will not bs by any
direct effort on his part. 1t is certain that
be has a strong hold upon the people, and
unless he does something to injure his
popularity his nams will be prominently
before the next national democratic con-
veation.