New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-12
CLEVEL1ND And MS CHANCES.


For the OdfspOken frankneSs and eanestness
of Mr.. Clevelands utteranceS at the dinner Of tho
! Business Mems Democratic Club last Friday
night TIE TRIBUNE has nothing but COM
mendatiOn. 1t is much better for the cause Of
honest government and decent politics that issues
should be fairly stated, and that there should be
no "shfty schemes" nor "insincere professions
nor "potical manoeuvring' nor "pOlitcal rid
dies nor " conundrumS' nor " doubtful phrases
We quite agree with him as to the miSchevOus
effect of any resort to temporary expedientS to
gain political or partisan success On this
theme Mr.. Cleveland occupies very high plane I;
and we presume we may be permitted to say
much higher than his party. In his public ut
teranceS he places himself before the people in
the position of a square fighter. He seems to
believe in things and to have the courage of his
convictions. We greet him as the champion of
a cause. A cause that we do not believe in by
any meanse one that we shall conscientiousy OPP
pose; but at least a cause that contains prin-
5iple, that has significance; means something
besides the petty poil'cS Of self seeking schom
elS, and is really wort taking sizes and making
an issue upon so we say frankly that as Re
publicans we should much prefer to meet Grover
Cleveland as tho Democratic candidate for Pres
ident on the tariff question rather than any other
Of the prominent Democrats who have been
named who do not occupy 50 pronounced
position up1n that issue
When we add with equal frankness that we
consider him the strongest candidate the Demo
Gratis can select for the simple reason that he
he's following of his own which will 90 to no
other candidate, while those who oppose him
most bitterly in his own party being Of the kind
that never kick will stay and support him, we
shall probably be told that it is bad politics 70
wish your opponents to select their strongest
candidates and perhaps be told further that
frankneSS has no place in politics anyway. But
our reason for this view is that we have in the
first place entire confidence that upon the issue
fairly stated the people would vote against Cleye-
land and Free Trade Yet a general election is
full of all sorts of possibilities, and in conem-
plation of the possibility of Republican defeat
We infinitely prefer to take the risk Of such an
administration as Cleveland would give us to
exposing the country to the remotest danger Of
calamity such as the election of David b. |
Hill would be- The one would mean the
triumph, to be sure of party Of which it may
be deliberately said in the Light of history and
experience that there has not been time in the |
last thirty years when its possession of full power
in the General Government would not have been |
an unmiXed evil involving most disastrous con- |
sequences; but it would be the triumph Of the |
better portion of the party over its worse ee-
ments. The success of Hill would put
Tammany at the top and let loose upon the |
country all shams and crimes Better fight |
against heavier odds with opponents who recog-
nize the rules of civilized warfare than take any
chances with Tammany Indians whose victory
would mean plumber pIlage, lawleSness and |
desolation.
But the outlook at the present moment does
not seem to us 70 be- favorable for Mr. Cleveland
A year ago on the election Of the one-hundred-
and-hfty majority Congress upon what the Demo
Gratis asserted was distinct issue against the new
tariff he was by all odds the favonte against the
field. Had the nominating convention been held
any time last summer he would have been
nominated with huuah and almost without
opposition. But the country has had now a
years trial of the new tariff, and instead Of the
distress that was predicted by the Free Traders
there has been uneXampled prosperity. Mr.. Cleve-
lands hobby is not 50 strong as il was. Molc-
over, tho majority in Congress has shown ts APP
sending the Free Traders to back keats. Tho
politicians Of the party have taken the
rcns; they are running the machine And they
DO not want Cleveland They will leave 10
stone untuned 70 defeat his nomination. These
men have read Mr.. ClcyG1and's wterances abou,
political honor and honesty and courage and low
atty to principle with a smile Of contempt. They
take no stock in his fine sentiments, and they
are far from being frightened when he SAYS
= The people viii visit with quick revenge tho
party which betrays them Their version Of
that sentiment would be that the Democratic
party visits with quick revenge any leader
who would hesitate for a moment at any be-
travail CT the people or sacrifice of principle which
would bring the hungry party into power That
ovengc Mr.. Cleveland has felt once, and is likely
10 icel again. 80 We do not consider him nj
present among the probabilities. And we are
sorry for it.