The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-06-29
CLEVELAND AND THE srRADD1E.

How tho Democratic NomInoss Tariff
Plank was Knocked Out and Plain FREQ
Trade Declaration was Substituted.
Cleveland Leader.
No Democrat, we think, will attempt
to deny that all the evidence points to
the assumption that the tariff straddle
submitted to the Chicago convention
had been sanctioned by Grover oloye-
land, who felt almost certain that he
was to be named rs the presidential
candidate aud stand upon the platform
there adopted. The charge is openly
made in a dispatch sent TO the Louis
vile Courier journal, Colonel Henry
Watterson's paper, from Chicago, on
June %, by Mr.. o. o. Steady, the WASH
ington correspondent of that paper.
The dispatch was evidently written at
the suggestion OF Mr.. Watterson, who
was in Chicago, and it was published
under big and flaming headlines. This
correspondent SAID, writing on the
night OF the row over the platform:
at was rumored around among the
delegates all day that the tariff plank, as
reported from the subcommittee, was a
stradd!e like the one OF 1884. II was
also rumored that the plank had the
sanction OF Grover Cleveland, and that
it was tho intention OF his four ex-
cabinet officers, Whitney, Villas, Bayard
and Dickinson, to force it through the
convention, through the influence OF the
great Cleveland strength in the conven-
ton"
Mr.. Watterson wa told Of these
rumors and it was decided to make a
fight against the adoption OF the strad-
die. Lawrence 7. Neal was entrusted
with the task OF introducing the sub
stltutc. When it had been read to
tho convention, Mr.. Watterson was
called for. Then, says the dispatch to
the Courier Journal:
"Henry Wattterson was eager and
ready for tho fray. It was the fight OF
his life, TO which his victory in the
Kentucky convention Of last May wa!
not a circumstance. As he walked
from his delegation to the rostrum, gen
uine and ringing cheers greeted him
The convention felt in its hesrt that
the cause of tariff reform vas about to
be slaughtered, b%utchered, and toully
stabbed to death in the house OF its
friends, and it was lett for Henry Wat
terson to come to the rescue OF the
dearest principle to Democratic hearts
and bear the banner once nHnin boldly
to the front. AS the young Hercules Of
Democracy stood on the platform wait
ing for the cheers to subside, he pre-
sented the appearance OF a lion eager to
jump on its prey. He faced 10000 peo-
pie, all eyes upon him. He knew whom
he had to deal with; he knew that
Cleveland himself was back Of the as
sault upon tariff reform, which had
been made by Cleveland's own lieuten-
ants in the convention. He knew that
the fight he had to make was an une-
quaI one, aud that tue ouly friend he
had against the great Cleveland ma
chine in the convention WAS public
opinion, and the convictions OF the del
egates who had the courage to express
them. But twice is he armed who hath
his quarrel just"
After detailing the scenes in the con-
vention the dispatch continues:
whitney, Villas and Bayard looked
dazed at the result, and little Jones. OF
the committee, was the sickest looking
man | ever saw. . The strad-
dlers were beaten at their own game.
though they dealt the cards and stacked
them. 1t is the last time they will at
tempt to play double with the honest
Democracy.
CATER what occurred tonight, set oil
foot by tho friends Of Grover Cleveland,
which resulted in their disaster, l feel
satisfied that II the convention had had
another day without making the nom.
nation, the ex-President would have
been beaten, as he richly deserved to
be. This is not tho first time Cleveland
has attempted a straddle on the tariff
question, and the magnificent Demo-
cratic victory tonight should be lesson
to him and his many followers"
Thus it is made plain that the great
Cleveland" who has been idolized by
Mugwunps and free traders, because he
wa supposed to stand for the principle
that is dear to their hearts, is put be.
fore the American people as q trucking
coward, and he will go down to defeat
on the free trade platform that wa put
uLueE HIS leeL uRh1LlSG HS Mn' WV
land knows, as does every other think
ing Democrat, that free trade cannot
win in this country. Tho stock lies
about the burdens Of Il protective tariff
were exhausted in 1888 and 1890, and
the Democratic party must now go into
a national campaign and advocate the
restoration of the free trade duties on
tea, coffee, sugar, and hides, or admit
that the Mckinley tariff, which is bare
" high enough to raise the necessary
revenues to meet the expenses of tho
government, is ali right. Thanks to
Henry. Watterson and his free trade
followers, tho mask has been torn from
the idol OF the Mugwumps and the is
u OF protection against absolute free
trade stands clearly defined before the
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