The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-06-24
CLEVELAND THE MAN.


The expected has happened and TIT
Democratic National convention has
selected Grover Cleveland as the
standard bearer of that party. The
indications for the past few days have
been that his admirers intended tt
force his nomination without any re
gard for the position of New York in
the matter.
But it is well that such is the re
suit. No selection the convention
could make would please the Repub
licans better than that of Grover
Cleveland. With Harrison and Cleve'
land it will be the fight of 1888 over
again with increased chances in favor
of President Harrison. There will be
no lodging the issues before the PEG.
pie. The Republicans want none
They invite full and free discussion
Of the great questions before the PEG.
pie, and have no fears as TO the ulti-
mate results.
While it will be, as we have said,
the old fight over again, still it will
be changed in many respects. The
Republican position is much stronger
than in 1888, and President Harrison,
from a comparatively unknown and
untried man, has developed into one
of Americas great statesmen. In
1888 Mr.. Cleveland obliged his party
to stand upon his famous message,
rather than any platform it might
propose to formulate. Now its posi-
tion will be simply that of opposition
to the Mckinley law The Republi
cans then declared for continuance
of the protective policy, and the peo-
pie endorsed the Republican position.
To-day the Republicans stand as
having redeemed their promises in
every particular. They thoroughly
revised the tariff, and reduced the
revenue to the actual needs of the
government. The tariffibill which they
passed has been most bitterly de-
nounced by the Democrats, and was
looked upon with partial disfavor by
many Republicans. But it has disap-
pointed it's enemies and exceeded the
hopes Gifts friends, while those Repub-
licans who have found that their fears
have not been realized are among it's
warmest supporters. BY the re-nomi-
nation of Harrison and Cleveland as
the leaders of the two parties, the
question to be decided by the Ameri-
can people will be whether our indus
trial prosperity, that has been greatly
advanced by the Mckinley law, shall
be continued, or shall be ruthlessly
thrust one side.
But while the Republican position
has been strengthened and Mr.. Har-
rison is stronger because Of the most
excellent record of his administration,
Mr.. Cleveland is no stronger before
the people to-day than he was four
years ago when President Harrison
defeated him. While the country
would feel safe with him so far as the
financial policy of the country is con-
cerned, yet with a congress in accord
with his tariff views the business in
terests of the country would tremble
for their future. His fight with Hill
in New York has weakened him there
and will make it as impossible TO car
ny its electoral vote next November
as it was four years ago. And with
out New York he cannot possibly win,
for there is not one of the regular Re-
publican states which he can hope to
break into.
Four years ago his political mana
gers had great rainbow visions of sue
cess in the Northwest but their
hopes were not realized, and they
stand as far from realizing such hopes
to-day Viewed from any standpoint
it is hard to see where Mr.. Cleveland
will prove any stronger than he did in
1888, or even as strong, yet it must be
said, that should there be sudden
turn of fortunes wheel, that would
land him again in the presidential
chair, there is no Democrat who could
be selected, that the Republicans
would rather see there.