The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-22
MIR. FACING-BOTH-wAYS.

Every one. regardless OF party, must De
pleased to note the reaction against Hill
and in favor of Cleveland IN the ranks Of
the Eastern Democracy. The men typify
two distinct schools in politics. Cleveland
is the type of those who hold principle
higher than expediency and refuse to sur
render their views Of right for the sake of
achieving success. Hill is the tyre Of the
machine politician, who is ready to espouse
any cause or advocate any doctrine when
he thinks will lead to success. Cleveland
never lets any one doubt where he stands
on the questions Of the day; Hill never
commits himself on any question which he
can dodge Cleveland refused to c0nciliate
the Randall wing OF his party. though by so
doing he knew he was going TO lose votes.
Hill is all things to all men who can further
his ambition. 1t is creditabie to the party
which constitutes one-half Of the voting con-
stituency that they should prefer the man
of principle to the nan of policy, and the
party which is opposed to them can afford
t. give them credit for the honesty implied
in the preference.
The whole future OF democratic institu-
tions depends on the fidelity of the masses
to principle. The republican system is
anchored upon public intelligence and
public integrity. 1t assumes that the
masses of the people can be educated TO
know what is right and have the courage TO
stand by the right at the polls. The ma-
chine politician who rests his hope of sue
cess on the successful manipulation of con-
yentions and on the deception of voters by
appeals to prejudice, ignorance and passion
is in reality laboring to confirm Mseaulay's
prediction that popular government would
break down when IL was subjected 10
strain. Their tactics show that they do not
believe the people can be trusted to govern
themselves, and that for their own interest
they ought to be deceived and hoodwinked
by rinGsters and wire ullers so that they
shall vote as they are hidden. while appear
ing to vote according to their own con-
sciences. Under the Buckley regime in
this city the mass of voters did not enjoy
free suffrage. BY an adroit coalition with
Republican bosses he managed TO offer the
people nothing but choice between two
equally bad tickets. The machine stripped
the people of their sovereignty. and if it
had not been overthrown San Francisco
would have lost the benefit Of self-goyern-
meDt
Hui represents on a large scale the
scheme which Buckley represented on
small one. He appears to have no prin-
eipleS. He goes through political life in
light marching order. lie observes that
most Of the Democrats are free-traders, and
bis speeches therefore incline TO free trade:
but lie notices that some Democrats are
protectionists, aud therefore he is not I'M
compromising in his hostility to protection.
He remarks that the Southern and Western
Democrats are divided on free coinage,
while the Eastern Democrats are opposed;
I ha Il fa1 ba
will not cross a bridge till he comes TO it.
He was afraid that if the State convention
in New York had taken place at the usual
time he could not have held his faction to-
gether for so long; therefore he called it to
meet in February. These words and acts
paint him as a trimmer, a machine poll
tician, one who would have been extremely
unsafe in the Presidential chair.
1t would be a work Of charity TO give the
politicians of This school history Of the
United States. For if that history teaches
anything it is that the American people
have no liberation for trimmers. The cata-
lOgue OF bright men who tried to trim on the
slavery question, and so committed political
suicide, IS very long indeed. This country
has produced few men more gifted than
Edward Everett; he went to wreck on the
hansasNebrasKa bill and was never heard
OF again. Fifty years ago no man had bet
ter prospects Of the Presidency than Lewis
Cass; his habit of Sinking mo0ted ques-
tons laid him low at last. In 1860 the
country was full Of able men, north and
south, who saw the future and tried to
dodge il by some new scheme Of COM
promise. They were all showed to one side
when the crisis came, and their very names
are forgotten now.
The American people are decided in their
opinions, and they want decided men to
lead them. They abhor politicians who
take Mr.. Facing both-ways as their model
They can respect man who is wrong and
sticks mantully TO his delusion. But for the
man who tries 10 wriggle into power by
manipulating conventions and keeping his
mouth shut when it ought to be wide open
they have nothing but contempt