St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-19
WHAT CLEVELAND SIGNIFIES.

=
When ex-senator INGALLS,, in the
days of his pride and power, wished to
be especially severe on President
CLEVELAND, he always referred to him
as His Accidency." The master of
sarcasm now frankly admits that he
was mistaken, and that Mr. CLEVELAND
rose from sheriff to president by virtue
of something beside being at THE fortu-
itous jnncture of circumstance.
Mr.. INGALLS, expressed sarcaStically
an opinion shared at the time by most
of tie practical politicians of the day.
"CLEvELAND's luck" became the &C
cepted expression for success without
merit. They could not comprehend
that plain blunt man, who simply did
his duty, and, who was so out of fashion
as to regard his office as trust, could
have made his way in politics from the
lowest to the highest point except by
sheer luck. They were hardly to be
blamed for their doubling. Their own
experience, their observation of the way
in which their colleagues had risen,
were dead against it. They had learned
that to succeed in the game Of politics
one must pattern himself on LowELL's
model:
THE ginooine statesman must be on his
guard
Eff he must hey convictions not to b'leeve
'em too hard"
Ability, ShreWdneSs, reputation, no.
toriety were essential. Defines in COM
binations; tact in dealing with men:
watchfuI care in catching the first in
dicia of popular feeling and movements;
alacrity in getting first into the current
of opinion without regard to anything
but success: attacking without cause or
reason; defending without excuse Of
right; these were the qualities Mr.. IN
CALLS and his class had learned to
deem essential to the man who would
get to the high places in the state OIL ma
ton. Office belonged to the occupant.
He could use it to establish himself in
power by building up following. If
his moral fiber were coarse he need have
10 cOmpunctionS in using it to make his
fortune.
No wonder that Mr.. INGALLS, and his
fellows were amazed at the rapid rise of
Mr.. CLEVELAND. He had not risen &C
cordIng to rule. He had violated every
rule of political progression. He was
without tact; he disdained combination;
he would not bend to pressure; he was
Indifferent to popular opinion; he did
not hesitate to defy 1t and set his judg-
ment against it; he did not use office to
advance his personal or political well
fare; from their viewpoint he guided
himself by the rule of contrariness.
The lesson of Mr.. CLEvELAND's
career is full of significance. His cleo
ton in 1854 meant that the people haG
turned their attention from memories of
the war to the actions and characters of
the men who had become the leaders.
They were wearied of the mere poll
ticians they found them to be, shifty. in
triguing, inSincere, caring only to win,
and regardless of means or methods.
They were hungry for and welcomed
the strong. sturdy, simple. courageous
man who did his duty and held his
Office as trust confided to him for the
good Of the people. 1t signifies to the
young men of today that honest cOnvic-
tons, sturdily stood by; always doing
what your light gives you to see is right;
for 1t withstanding popular clamor. dar-
ing to be unpopular, is the foundation
on which to build political career.