Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-05
ATLANTA constitutional

ATLANTA constitutional
There is a tremendous discussion going
on in some of our contemporaries as 10
whether Virginia, Georgia. Alabama, ana
Texas are for or against MIR. Cleveland. ana
we are led TO suppose by the remarks that
are made that in this of year Mr.. Cleve-
land Is the principal issue before the .peo-
pie. The baltimore Sun will not believe
Mr.. Barbour and other leading men who
saw that the Democrats of Virginia are no
longer for MIR. Cleveland. IL says that
these gentlemen arr politicians, whose
statements are colored by their prejudices.
Yet it halls with delight the declaration OF
another politician who says that the Demo
Gratis of Virginia are unanimous for Mr.
Cleveland.
We hear also that Georgia is against Mr..
Cleveland as well az for him, and there
seems to be no doubt that Alabama IS
unanimously for him as well as unani-
mously opposed 10 him. Colonel Delo, OF
Texas, says that his State is for MIR. Cleve-
land, but Mr. Burson, of the Galveston Ere
ming Tribune. who is a Cleveland man, says
that Texas Is pretty evenly divided be-
tween Cleveland and Hill" Mr.. Bnrson
saws that the feeling against Mr.. Cleve-
| land is not based wholly on his anti
silver letter-though that is factor-but
is due in part TO bad appointments IN
Texas and to the civil service reform sham
which left SO many Republicans IN office
under Democratic administration. Mr.
Gilbert, of the Dallas Times Herald, says
that the feeling against Mr.. Cleveland In
Texas is much more extensive than his
friends will admit. While the army OF
farmers are against him they are not all for
Hill. but are divided between Hill and some
western man. Mr.. Gilbert says there are
thirty-fye of the principal dailies OF the
State which hold the same opinions.
The idea seems TO be among those who
are getting up controversy over the
popularity of Mr.. Cleveland that this IS
really the great Democratic issue, but
there could not be bigger mistake. We
presume that Mr.. Cleveland himself would
object to a controversy which tends to
such an Interpretation. There is no Demo-
crat who ~ opposed TO the ex-Presidents
denomination on personal grounds. Those
! who do oppose his denomination have the
| friendliest feelings tor him. and will work
as hard for his election should he be nomi-
mated as those who are now trying TO
make him ridiculous by their partisan
support.
Mr. Cleveland is not an issue and he is a
| but on his beliefs. He made good Presi-
| dent so far IA the administration of
affairs we're concerned but he failed
TO meet the wishes of the people by re-
moving the Republican office-holders. who,
| from tho vantage ground they occupied,
worked with impunity against the re-
election OF Mr.. Cleveland. Six thousand
Republicans were kept in office and six
| thousand honest and efficient Democrats
kept out in order that MIR. Cleveland
might Justify himself in the ewes Of little
handful of Mugwumps who are opposed to
every principle of Democracy. The Demo-
Gratis did not complain at this. but great
| many of them the men who do the essen
| tal work of campaigns-went about with
lifted eyebrows and did some very serious
thinking.
At this time the people of the country
and we mean by this the Democratic
party-are in favor of the free coinage of
| silver, the restoration of the white metal
to its old place in the currency, and Mr..
| Cleveland is opposed to 1t. This Is not q
very important matter, rightly considered,
| for Mr. Cleveland is merely q man, who has
the courage of his convictions. He is.not
superior III this respect TO the humblest
| Democrat who sincerely believes in the
| free coinage of silver and the ne
cessitv for financial reform. But there
are some Democrats who appear TO be-
| lieve that Mr. Cleveland ii the party itself,
and that his views ought to constitute It's
| platform: and they have been seriously
| advising other Democrats to postpone their
| beliefs and smother their opinions IN order
that Mr.. Cleveland may again be renomi-
uoted There is less of this sort of thing
now than there was a few weeks ago. Ihe
gentlemen who wanted TO perform the
postponemcnt act have become little
more modest in their demands. They now
perceive that the free-silver issue must be
met, and they no longer have any doubts
MS to how the Democratic party stands on
! this question.
This modesty is so promising that we
are tempted to advise those who have &C
quired ii to drop Mr.. Cleveland AZ an Is
sue. We oil know how the Democratic
party stands; we all know how Mr.. Cleve-
| land stands. IL the Democratic party
wants him it will nominate him, and II he
is nominated there will bo no need Of dis
cussing whether such and such a southern
State Is for him.
Let us get down to business. Let us dis
cuss the great issues that are now before
the country-free silver. tariff reform,
financial relief. the reduction of taxation.
Mr.. Cleveland and the Presidency.
To The Editor ofdhe DISPATCH:
There is strong effort being made by
| the editors of certain newspapers IN VIZ
einia. as well as by other persons, to prove
| that Mr.. Cleveland is the choice OF a ma
1 tOrltV OF tIt TuIlh anu llt VI
| of the State for the next presidency. |
have no doubt that these gentlemen are
| conscientious in the statements they make
upon this subject. So far very small
number of persons have been interviewed
by the Cleveland and anti-Cleveland news
papers IN our State with reference TO this
| important matter: certainly not SUI
| fcient number to afford anything Ike
| satisfactory criterion of the sentiments OF
the great body of the voters III the State.
| The weight of authority up to this time.
| however seems to me to be opposed TO
| Mr.. Cleveland as an available candidate:
| IL is alleged by those who favor MIR.
| Cleveland that the politicians III Virginia
are opposed to his nomination, while the
masses are with him. | have seen no evl-
dence anywhere adduced TO Justify such
an assertion. So far az any development
| of the views Of leading politicians has oc-
| Cured, think that the honors are easy, "
some of the most prominent among them
| fayOring Cleveland, while others are OPP
posed to him. The rank and file have not
publicly expressed their opinions, and |
submit that no one 10 authorized TO speak
| for them. =,
Leaving. however. out of the question all
other considerations, there ~ one view to
be taken of this matter which seems TO me
| to seriously initiate against the idea that
Mr.. Cleveland is the choice OF even large
minority of the Democracy of Virginia. l
alude to the well-known, undeniable TACT
that an overwhelming majority OF our
people-and especially among the farming
| community-are advocates of the free
coinage of silver. while Mr.. Cleveland IS
known TO have placed himself most EN-
phatically upon record in opposition to It,.
When did the intelligent Democratic
masses of Virginia ever desert their princi-
ples for the sake Of any man. howsoeyer
great and popular ne might be! Never !!
| Would it not be ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1T
not be an insult TO their intelligence,
| their honesty, and their manhood to sup
pose they would do it now2 They believe
that silver Is the money Of the people and
of the Constitution. They think they
have been unjustly and cruelty deprived
of il, and imposed upon by Wall-street
brokers and others, to whose interest 1t is
10 have a contracted currency IN the
country. They deeply feel that their own
financial and commercial interests and
weil-being depend upon the full re-
monetization of silver.
ii all this be true, and suppose no one
will have the temerity 10 dispute it, then
how can it be expected that the Democrats
of Virginia are in favor of man for the
presidency who proclaims in advance
| openIy and above board that he IL eonsci-