Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-01-23
Notice. to Mail Subscribers.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY es. lss
who was Responsible?

recent date published an, editorial OF
which the following is the opening para
graph:
''It was not fair trial:
because the Democratic party neither
controlled nor lays claim to having con-
s'trolled the Administration of President
s'Cleveland. Therefore it cannot be held
Irresponsible for the results of that Ad-
ministration-neither for the injury his
"vacillating course has done to the cause
'sof Civil-Service Reform, nor for doing
"sthe right thing at the wrong time in
"precipitating the tariff issue on the per-
''ilous edge of a Presidential campaign,
.snor for the other multiplied mistakes Of
''the President, nor for his obnoxious
sspersonal acts or characteristics"
After arraigning Mr.. Cleveland for dis
regarding the views of the leaders oftis
party and running personal admins
tration and a personal campaign, the
World goes on to say:
"The Democratic party as is now well
established, really carried the States
(Which will cast a majority of the cleo
''toral votes for General Harrison, and SC
''the candidate, and not the party. was
defeated in the recent election.
That able journal then clearly inti-
mates that Mr.. Cleveland's selection OF a
cabinet, five out of seven of whose mem
bers had never before held a National
position, and who did not enjoy a
national reputation; that in the cabinet
there was not one Northern Democrat OF
recognized ability as a party leader; that
the re-appointment Of Pearson as Pest
master of New York City, the taking OF
q country lawyer to be the Collector OF
the Port of New York, and the selection
OF really obnoxious men to fill high offices
in the metropolis Of the Empire State
that the appointment Of Phelps
as Minister to England, the abandon
ment of all pretense to respect the Civil
Service rules, the sending of check for
O,0O0 to aid in securing his own re-
election, the writingof the Fellows letter.
and similar arbitrary, inconsistent and
unwise measures really defeated the
President.
There is no doubt that each of these
things did have influence in securing
Mr.. Cleveland's defeat. There is no
doubt that all of them combined did
much to secure that defeat. Mr.. Cleve-
land is largely responsible for his own dis
comfture, and what is of more conse-
quence to the party and to the Nation, he
is largely responsible for the party's re-
tirement from office.
But we much fear that the party can
not be quite acquitted of all reprehension
in this affair. 1t is well to face the re-
sponsibility now, and therefore, perhaps
avoid in 1892 the mistakes of 1888. With
q Democratic standard-bearer, and with
. Democratic platform four years from
now the country will be found heavily
Democratic. With a Mugwump leader
and undemocratic principles to go
before the people we shall but
invite more disastrous defeat. In the
Stalwart personality of David Bennett Hill
We have the man. Now, what shall be
the case1 Here is where we would
point out the mistakes and responsibility
of the party. Mr.. Cleveland's message
on the tariff was political mistake.
But the method of discussing it which so
largely prevailed, was what made the
error fatal. Had the issue been met
harmoniously and unitedly by us, we
believe there was a reasons to hore
that we would have carried the
country. The way to have met it
was the way the World met it, and the
way, if we may say it, this journal met
it. The whole issue was whether it was
right or wise to levy unnecessary taxes.
Mr.. Blaine's astute letter we allowed to
force us into defense and advocacy OF
English free trade. From one end of
the land to the other our speakers, with
few exceptions, drew all their arguments
from Golden and his school. The Dem
ocratic press, in too many instances,
committed the same fatal error. This is
the un-Democratic, the uA-American
error for which the party is responsible.
With really Democratic standard
bearer, and with return to pure Demo-
cratic and pure American principles in
1892, we shall win. With Hill as the
candidate, and Mr.. Randalps platform of
1884, we can win. Tilden won on it.
Hancock failed because he faltered on
that point. Cleveland won on it, and |
then failed for lack of it. We can win
on it again, and we shall fail if we ignore
1t. On any other platform we shall lose |
The North again, and we shall lose part
Of the South. On that platform the
South will be solid in 1892,
= it was in 1884, and we shall split Re- |
,ublican States away from the party in
he North. We had better hesitate |
,efore we read the Sam Randalls and
krchy Blisses out of the party. We
rould have been better for their coop
ration in 1883. We shall need them in
se2.