The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-06-12
Friday, June 10, 1894.
MIR. cleveland,s Enemies.

Seldom has q public man suHereo ~
severely from mere political blunder as
has Mr. Cleveland since he made the fatal
mistake Of yielding weakly to the crafts
and devices Of the free trade clique IN
Congress. He had been elected by the
aid of the protective element in the Dem
ocratic party The lamented Randall can I
yassed New York, New Jersey and Con-
necticut; and through his influence WITH
che national committee, free trade speak
era were excluded from those States In
his speeches he told the people that MI.
Cleveland was as sound on the question OF
protection as he was. 1t was generally
believed too that Mr.. Randall would be
made Secretary of the Treasury; but,
though the portfolio was twice rendered
him, he declined it. During the first and
second years of the administration every
thing went smoothly. Had the election
been held at any moment during those
two years Mr.. Cleveland would have won
with both hands down. There was not On
intelligent Republican in the country who
believed it possible to defeat him.
But an evil hour came, and it was
fastened by the influence of the late VIII
liam Dorsheimer who was close to the
President and who used to run down to
Washington and hold long private CONVEX
sations with him. The writer was in posi-
ton to know muchofwhat was said during
those long interviews, many Of them last
Ing from 8 O'Clock until past midnight
Dorsheimer told Cleveland that it was
time to bring the leaders of the party into
closer relations with himself, these lead
e-s, according to Dorsheimer's idea, being
exclusively free traders. "Inyite Carlisle
and Mills and Breckenridge and Beck and
Blackburn and Bill Scott to dine with
YOU. said Dorsheimer, Sand under the in
fiuence Of your hospitality they will draw
nearer to your administration and better
understandings will result on both
sides. In after dinner talks there is less
Journalism and restraint. less artiice and
more cordially and confidence"
Cleveland finally acted on this counsel
He invited Carlisle and Bill Scott to Red
Top. They impressed him. He broke
with Randall--not only broke With him
brt entered into conspiracy to destroy
him. The famous message followed. The
election followed the message. Every
body knows the rest.
But here is,the Kentucky free trade ele-
men. now Matching conspiracy to de-
ssroy Cleveland They arc fixing up job
on him. The cartoon in Judge, represent
ing the entire crew who wheedled him into
the self-slaughter that followed the Red
Top conference, have their knives drawn
on him and he is falling at this base of
Pompey's statue. 1t is the old story OF
trickery and ingratitude on both sides. 1t
is politics. The circumstances however
deprive either side of any sympathy what
ever from those whoarc acquainted with
the facts. tits battle between ingrates
and whom the devil cares which side
shall rise winner or loser?
Meantime the hope of the Democratic
party is crystalizing about German. They
say he is d, partisan. Be it SO; but noeonc
says he is an migrate. They say he is o
machine man. Be il so: no one everknew
him to betray public trust or sacrihce a
personal friend. And WHAT'S quite GER
tain he is not q fool-he is not the author
of the free trade message.