Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-13
POLITICAL REFLECTIONS.
Mr.. Cleveland as Candidate for the
Presidency,
To The Editor ofae Dispatch.

To the Editor of the Dispatch:
Feeling an earnest desire for the success
Of the Democratic party in the next presi-
Dental election, wish to contribute as
far as may be able to the accomplish
mept of this object, involving as il does
principles and results of immense magni-
tude to every citizen of our vast republic.
No intelligent Democrat, suppose, will
DENY that one Of the most important
prerequisites to success will be the selection
of a ticket that can command the conf
dence and united support of the
Democracy of every State and section Of
the Union.
In the first place I am constrained to
take issue with several prominent Demo
cratic journals in Virginia in their advo-
cacy of Mr.. Cleveland for the presidential
nomination, and the claim they make that
he is the choice of O large majority of the
Democrats of Virginia. Two or three of
these newspapers have sent correspondents
to various country districts for the pur-
pose Of learning the views Of the people
upon this subject, Conceding to these In
viewers thorough capacity and honesty, the
barriers in the way of getting at anything
like correct and reliable knowledge OF
the sentiments of the people OF large
State through such channels are generally
regarded as insurmountable.
Now, propose to give briefly few OF
the reasons why | think Mr.. Cleveland is
not and should not be the choice of the Vir-
ginia Democracy. In the first place, feel
perfectly safe in asserting that an over
whelming majority of the people (the
farmers particularly are in favor of the
free coinage of silver" and OF an increase
of the circulating medium OF the country.
| suppose that no man can have the temerl-
~ IN
clearly understand that the monopollsts
and the money kings are the only people
to whose interest 1t is TO keep up con-
tracted currency. BY this means they
have been able to grind millions of money
out of the poorer classes OF the country.
Well, upon this colossal subject Mr.. Cleve-
land is known to be opposed % them. This
being true. why should the Democrats OF
Virginia and the great body of the people
of the country desire to see him again IN
the presidency?
But Mr. Cleveland Ia lauded, aye almost
idolized, by his friends on account of his
alleged honesty, fearlessness, and extraor.
binary political wisdom. Let me ask are
these qualities so rarely to be found among
the great Democratic leaders of the coun.
try that they necessarily entltle him
always to have the most distinguished
honor within the gift of the party con,
ferred upon him despite of reason, of ex.
pediency. and of traditional usagep Re
member that he has already been twice
the standard-bearer of the national Demo,
crazy.
But lot us see whether Mr.. Cleveland
does actually possess all Of the great
qualities claimed for him by his peculiar
friends and champions. We will grant
that he is honest, and that he sometimes
carries the courage of his convictions to O
degree almost amounting to obstinacy
But his wisdom or political sagacity is now
strongly questioned by tens of thousands
of his former admirers and supporters
They think, for instance, that his memo
rable tariff message, issued at most In
cpportune time, showed great want of po
litical wisdom. 1t aroused and alarmed the
protected manufacturer and the monopo-
lists of the North and East, and induced
them upon the demand of the Quays, the
Wanamakers, and the Dudleys, of the
Republican party to contribute millions
of money to enable them TO control New
York and other closely contested northern
States, And ley succeeded.
Well, now, let us see what terrible. evils
this victory achieved by the Republicans
entailed upon the country. 1t led to the
securing of Republican House OF Rep
resentatives, to the creation OF half a
dozen rotten borough States that have in
all probability secured TO the Republicans
the control Of the United States Senate FOL
eight or ten years TO come, thus depriving
the Democratic of getting the full control
of the national Government during that
period. 1t resulted in the saddling upon
the country of an immense fraudulent
pension tax. 1t led to stupendous ex
penditure and waste of the public funds
in multiform ways. and it came near re-
sulting IN the passage of tho force bill
which would have dstroyed the peace and
prosperity of the South and completely
overturned and revolutionized our system
Of free government.
1 submit that il Mr.. Cleveland had
possessed great political sagacity-honest
as we admit him to be-he would not have
made il possible for this Pandora's box
of evils 10 be turned loose upon the coun-
try by writing his untimely tariff message.
There was certainly no immediate neces-
sity for II at the imminent hazard OF such
terrible consequences. even to the shaking
of the very foundations of our Govern
ment.
There are various additional reasons
why Mr.. Cleveland in my Judgment vii
not make an available candidate IN 1892
but not desiring TO trespass further upon
your valuable space l will reserve them fol-
future communication. SEsEx.