New-York tribune., 1891-12-18
contcmpt for fairsplay than this Governor who
lags superfluous.
A lost LEADER.

somewhere IN the l0nB dgO, Nhch .hS "e''"
ton for what they then called revenue reform
was just beginning, THE TRIBUNE dlmly re-
members knighty champion OF the struggling
cause, whose white plume always shone in the
foremost ranks, and whose voice rang loudest
in the charge He showed many OF the high
qualities of leadership. With bOundless enthusi-
asm he had discretion with brilliant rhetoric the
pose and self-restraint of reasoner: with conr-
age and dash some prudence withal, and with
great gifts of fuency, pelsuasiveness ana pausi-
bility good deal of the saving grace OF common
sense. His frankness sometimes sent shlyer
through his friends, and his outspoken utterances
on controverted questions not infrequently pro-
voked small bursts of temper from his opponents
but on the whole, the public rather liked to hear
what he had to say whether it agreed with him
or not. and everybody who knew him was fond
of him. Caring little for political preferment for
himself, he was able to make political fortunes
for several distinguished persons, and IN a
quiet way to unmake one or two. Looking back
over the political agitation OF the tariff ques-
tion. which has resulted within the last few years
in putting that issue at the head Of all Others, we
should say that he more than any other man had
led in it and compelled his party to assume its
present attitude, which for the first time in It's
history seemed just prior 10 the organization OF
the present Congress to be pronounced and well
defined.
Upon the issue between Protection and Free
Trade he compelled the leaders of his party to
speak out plainly. He drew the resolutions that
constituted the party platform on that subject
in Presidential campaigns. He crammed Dem
ocratic statesmen with arguments for Free
Trade he so impressed Democratic President
with the force and vigor OF his views that the
latter took them up and made them a party
shibboleth He did more than any other man in
his party to force the fighting between Randall
and Carlisle upon this straight issue in the con-
test between those two for the Spealership. He
inspired the message of Grover Cleveland in
which occurred the famous phrase, at is con-
dition which >confronts us-not theory" His
fertile mind conceived "the Star Eyed Goddess
of Reform his resistless energy lifted his Gre
alton to the pinnacle of the Democratic temple.
The story of the movement which resulted in
making the Democratic party an open advocate
of Free Trade instead of the shutting, tricky
party of evasions it had always been would be
incomplete without him.
But what has become of him? Whele is
Henry Watterson? Where was he when the
rattling fight for Mills and Free Trade was in
progress and the Mugwllmp Contingent was
prancing so confidently in the front line OF battle?
Time was when one blast upon his bugle-horn
were worth, if not thousand men, at least con-
siderable more than the discordant tootings of
half hundred new recruits. But through all
that dark and desperate fght' he hardly made
a sign. He did not appear upon the scene; in
all the noise of the contendng factions there was
hardly mention of his name Why? In slay-
ing David B. Hill as Presidential candidate
did he overdo it and efface himself? Or has he
been permanently retired from leadership by the
noisy young persons who have lately bulged into
notice as the sole champions and exclusive repre-
sentatives of the great principle of Free Trade? !?
The signs Of the times all point to a tussle be-
tween the Free Trade wing of Democracy and
the faction which favors either moderate Pro-
lection or a double dealing policy. David B.
Hill and Tammany Hail are directing the forces
of the latter. Is it possible that the foremost
leader of the former has been discarded for the
young persons now on deck at Washington