Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-27
GROVER DESERTS THE PLATFORM.


The long-delayed letter from ex-Presi-
dent Cleveland accepting the Democratic
nomination appears elsewhere, aud settles
the question whether the Democratic plat
form is repudiated by the Democratic
leader or not. 1t is repudiated in this let
ter not by Senator Hills unique method
of perfunctorily indorsing the platform
and then urging the diametrically oppo-
site policy, but by the equally effective
one of ignoring the platform altogether,
and giving as the views of the candidate
declarations which were distinctly repudi-
ated by the convention.
THE DISPATCH has always been free to
recognize Mr.. Cleveland's good qualities.
He has made the record of being better
than his party in integrity, in the gift of
common sense judgment as TO popular
opinion, and in frankness in saying what
he believes regardless of party authority.
In his letter published elsewhere these
qualities, with some modifying appeals to
special prejudice for political. support,
appear very prominently. Mr.. Cleveland
has taken ground as tariff reformer; and
as that means enmity to the policy of pro-
tries, The DISPATCH has and will con-
tinue to vigorously oppose him. But it is
a significant expression of the Judgment of
the candidate that by an eloquent silence
he distinctly repudiates the rash and de-
structive doctrines adopted by the author
ity of the convention that gave him the
nomination.
1t is unique political feature that no.
where in his letter does Cleveland indorse,
accept or assent to that remarkable docu-
ment On the contrary, after some i'm
posing genera!ities on the subject of free
trade, he proceeds to assert that tariff re-
form means "no exterminating war
against any American interests" and can
be accomplished without disaster OF
demolition. But he ignores the fact that
assurances of that sort, proposed for the
Chicago platform by a majority of the
Committee on Resolutions, were voted
down by two-thirds vote and the declara-
ion of destructive principles put in their
place. This disavowal of the platform by
the candidate is evidence that the ex-
posure of that reactionary document by
the letters of President Harrison and Sec
same evidence appears in Mr.. Cleveland's
correct statement of principles that should
govern the settlement of the currency
question and his complete ignoring of the |
Democratic proposition for the most in |
flated and unreliable currency ever |
known. The politician appears rather !
strongly in Cleveland's appeal to special
prejudices on the subject of Federal Iegis-
lation on elections and on the exclusively |
State questions of compulsory education |
and sumptuary legislation.
The letter is characteristic in its attempt
to substitute for the authorized platform
of the party the statement of policy by
the candidate. Simply as an admission
that the Democratic party gave rein to its
reactionary tendencies by adopting plat
form which its leaders found necessary TO
abandon, this is a severe exposure of
Democracy. But there is much more
vital condemnation of the party than that
IN the situation. In cases where measures
not men are the crucial test. the attitude
Of the whole party is more conclusive than
the attitude of the candidate. The voters
are not alone asked to vote for Cleveland;
they must vote for Democratic supremacy
if they vote for him. The desire of the
party at large is expressed most authori-
tatively in the wild and destructive plat
form which he finds it necessary to ignore.
No man can vote for the Democratic cleo
toral ticket without incurring the peril
that by his vote the resuscitation of CAL
hOunism and the inflated currency of
State banknotes will be accomplished.
Mr.. Cleveland's letter puts its writer in
a better attitude; but it leaves his party in
the mire. The people cannot vote for a
party whose principles are so reactionary
and destructive that both the candidate
and his leading rival find it necessary to
ignore and tacitly abandon the platform.