The weekly intelligencer., 1891-03-21
TOMAHAWKING CLEVELAND.


The INTELLIGENCER has been charged
with "Tomahawking" Cleveland. No
one who has read what the INTELLIGEN-
GER has said about Mr.. Cleveland, and
who has sense enough to understand
plain English, would make such a
charge. In discussing Mr.. Cleveland s
letter on silver coinage the INTELLIGEN-
GER said:
"Every word from this man, who in the
brief period of little more than Il decade
emerged from obscurity to the first place
in the hearts of the American people, is
weighed and discussed-almost accepted
as the dictum of an oracle. When he
speaks, we know 1t is from a conviction
| tirm and immovable. When he takes a
position that cannot be carried by storm
nor reduced by siege. When he becomes
the advocate of a principle we know that
he Is in the cause to win, or to fall II need
be, but like the Scottish chieftein:
With his back to the field and his feet to
the foe.'"
No democrat who differs from Mr..
Cleveland, as far as the INTELLIGENCER
has read, has been disposed to dispar-
age his character or discredit his integ-
rity. 1t was with the keenest regret
that democrats west and south saw Mr..
Cleveland take such positive stand
against one of the lifelong issues of the
party. Yet, all at once admitted that
he as we'll as any other citizen was en-
titled to his opinion, and he has been
treated with the utmost respect by the
silver press. No one has tried to "read
him out of the party as few asinine
papers here and there have charged;
and no democrat proposes to refuse his
support of him should he be the stand
ard bearer in 1892.
But while discussing Mr.. Cleveland
and his letter, it is we'll to discuss also
the merits of the surroundings, and the
animus that called forth that now
famous epistle.
In an effort to pass bill that would
restore to the people their constitution
al rights in regard to the coinage OF
money, the senate was working upon
measure that was introduced by repre-
sentatives of the money power, but
which was acceptable to neither the
western republicans nor democrats.
Mr.. Ingalls, had made his great speech
and while the thrill of his magic words
were still tingling the nerves of his
audience, Senator Vest secured the at
tention of the president of the senate,
and introduced as q substitute to the
pending measure, bill providing for
the ''free coinage of silver" A vote was
at once taken. Every democratic sena-
tor present and eight republicans voted
aye, and the bill was passed.
Then it was taken to the house; and
then began one of the bitterest strug-
giles of the session. A few eastern dem
ocrats, representing the money power,
opposed the bill, but those from the
central, southern and western states
stood by the bill to man and like men.
There was no bringing scrvitude to
Wall street and plutocracy then. There
was no running to wealthy bondholders,
speculators and millionaires for ''point-
ers'' on finance-the democrats there
stood like stone wall battling for the
constitutional rights of the people.
The money power was alarmed. 1t
saw in the Vest bill the release of the
west and south from its clutches. 1t
saw in the success of that measure the |
emancipation of labor from the slavery
it had imposed upon it. 1t was alarm
ed and went to work to defeat the bill.
Party was lost sight of. Business mems
meetings were held in the large cities
of the east. To one of these Mr.. Cleve-
land was invited. He could rot attend
but wrote a letter. 1t was 4 great
scheme to have him do this. He was
opposed to silver coinage, and letter
so declaring, just at the critical r.oment
would be equivalent to a General order
ing retreat in the supreme moment of
victory.
The letter was written, coldly, calm
ly, deliberately, with the intent of de-
feating the bill if that would do it, and
the gallant democracy led in the senate
by the redoubtable Vest, in the house
by the silver-tongued Bland,- with vic
tory almost within its grasp-struck in
flank and rear, struck from an unex-
pected quarter, smitten by hand that
should have succored, was driven from
the field discounted, the cause of silver
coinage went down in defeat, and to
republican plutocracy was given the
victory.
Doubtless Mr.. Cleveland was honest,
conscientious and sincere. So were
Vest and Bland and all the true demo-
Gratis that stood by them; SO were all
those democratic state conventions that
so emphatically declared for free silver
coinage last year, and thus paved the
way for the grandest, most sweeping
victory democracy ever achieved.
This is not tomahawk-it is scrap
from history. 1t is Mr.. Cleveland's
record as he made it, and it is every
democrats privilege to pronounce up
on it, approve, if he endorses, or con-
demns If he disapproves.
SHALL IT BE D0NE9
The wisest party policy is that which
will bring into the folds of the party
the largest number of honest, intelli-