The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-05-10

| political skies. or through II {
clouds, "a condition and not theory
confronting the Democratic party
What does it avail Mr.. WattersOn
to express his opinion or vent his
spleen if it serves only to embarrass
his party? He must amt to no as
tuteness at all if he denies that Cleve-
land is the coming man. His name
is in every mouth and on every
breeze. He is first in the thoughts
and nearest to the hearts of the peo-
pie. Whether Mr.. Watterson and the
leaders like what they are pleased to
term his "mugwumpery" or not;
whether it is wise or prudent or poll
tic, the Democratic masses demand
him as their leader, and they will
have him.
This Mr.. WatersOn knows; this he
almost admits; and yet he goes on in
a column and a half to furnish mate
rial for Republican newspapers and
Republican orators to use, after Cleve-
land becomes the Democratic STAN
dard bearer.
Can it be that Henri dOtes on be-
ing erratic and is over fond of being
quoted?
AS to the logic of the letter there is
not much in it. His premises are
wrong to begin with. He says: 'The
politicians will not tell the people
truths they think the people do not
wish to hear"
Abstractly speaking that statement
is true, but as applied it is not. The
politicians have all along been against
Mr.. Cleveland; they have all along
been telling the people that he was
unavailable, that he could not carry
New York, and that without New
York he could not be elected Presi-
dent. The COurier-JOurnal, the lead
ing paper in Kentucky, has all along
been telling them that. The Ameri-
can, the leading paper in Tennessee,
over two years ago commenced tell
ing them that, and for a year kept it
up. 1t had the discretion to stop
when it saw it could do nothing but
embarrass the party. Our senior Sen
ator and our junior Senator, and a
very decided majority of our Con-
gressmen, something like year ago
agreed with the Courier-JournaI and
the American.
But the people would not be per-
suaded, or advised, or led. They just
naturally had a hankering after
Cleveland and could not be weaned
from him.
So Mr.. WattersOn does the pOliti-
clans wrong. When he says "there
were never so many cowards,n he
speaks the truth. When he says,
there was never so little straightfOr
wardness, he speaks the truth. When
he says, 1.-The politicians will not tell
he people truths which they think
he people do not wish to hear; all
.he while the people only want to
know the truth, to do what is wisest
and best" he speaks the truth. Our
Senators and Congressman are "cOw-
ardly" and do lack straightforward
ness" and will not speak out and adj
vice their constituents upon ques-
ions of vital interest to them to-day
because they see through clouds
darkIy and cannot rise above their
selfish, place-hunting ambitions.
All this is true, generally speak
ing; and it is true of Tennessee ,'Sena-
tors and Congressman at this imme-
diate Eme-be it said to their shame
and t6Ehe shame of the proud old
voluntfdaytate; but it is not true
when applied as Mr.. Watterson APP
plies it.
Cleveland did not stand in with
t lem; they did all they could to lead
he people from him. The Governor
of our State and the President of our
noble order boldly and bravely de-
cIared for the dung-Hill of New
York.
But the people would not listen to
or be led by them. They had more
faith and confidence in Honest
Grover than in the whole lot of them,
and the HERALD believes in the
people and believes the people are
right.