The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-29

one q, the men WHO ACCUSE MIN vi pat'
rreachery in 1888 prctends to any such loyalt
or considers It anything better than re
proach. Mr.. Cleveland has not got It: MI
Fairchi,d. his Secretary Of tho Treasury. IN
not got It; Mr.. Endlcott. his Secretary Of Wal
has not got 1t Mr.. Grace has not got 1t: MI
Godkin hns not got IL Not one Of Thorn under
stands the sentiment. All OF them have traded
more or less. In politics on the lack Of 1t. Eacl
| ono Of them would betray party obligations q
party associations as n matter OF course-in
| deed ench has done 80. and. naturally. thcl
| find II difficult to believe that another woult
sink personal considerations for tho sake o
| party interests Even now they are in reVoi
| against the action OF the Democracy OF the
| state regularly taken IN full convention. The
denial OF the duty OF party loyalty Is tho only
title oftheso men to political glory: ana II tha'
characteristics wore taken away. not q single
trait would remain to distinguish thom from,
the general ohscurity. Not even In 1888. with
everything at stake. could they deviatc into
honest pariisanship.
THE MAN. NOT THE PRINCIPLE
Mr. Cleveland must have determined to be-
como candidate for tho Presidency In 1877
very shortly after his defeat In 1883. His de-
sign Is clear from his fourth annual message.
dated Doc. 3 OF that year. II dealt with tariff
reform. and was different In tone from his pre-
vious u.terances on tho subject. not simply
from his first message. which conceded the
mos. important protectionist doctrines. but
from his message OF the preceding year. in
which he made n new departure. 1t flung
aside all reserves and qualifications 1t was
for tariff reform on free trade lines. and aimed
to commit tho party to that policy beyond re-
call. The protective system was denounced as
ienial OF equal and exact Justice"
to all our citizens: it was described
rs discriminating in favor Of the manu-
sacturers. enriching the wealthy and
impovcrshing the poor; 1t was character
tied as n partnership OF the Government with
n favored few for their benefit: 1t was stigma.
tied as depressing the farmer and running
country life: it was considered as booming the
wcrklugman to perpetual servitude: it was de.
clnrel to DO the communism OF combined
wealth and capital and it was held re-
spon siblc for all manner Of public and private
Generalization.
In this message Mr.. Cleveland said In closing
his plea for tariff reform: THE cause for
which the battle is waged is comprised within
lines clearly and distinctly defined. 1t should
never be compromised. 1t is the peoples
cause With the instinct OF bafled ambition
he sought to identify himself with the policy
Of free trade and assert his right to represent
it for the future Seeking to confound loyalty
10 party principle with Loyalty to himself, he
has stuck to that scheme ever since. He has
written much. but nothing So clear and strong
Is his last annual message. though all tend
ns to the same end. He has skulked in i'm
'ortant campaigns and paradei himself at
,anquets: but he has never ceased to be u
andidnte: never failed to assert that there is |
nut ono cause. and never GeSitRteu to declare |
hat no Is its prophet. Some OF his acts and |
are tempting subjects Cor comment: |
ut the latter are no more than trivial repeti-
ions OF the manifesto Of Dec. 3. lSSS.
Though posing always as u candidate and
to secure n denomination. Mr.. Glove
md di not avow his candidacy until March o
the present year. 1t was thought best that
c should declare himself at that time. and
10 half-forgotten Gen Bragg was brought
'rwar.l and wrote n letter. under date OF
Iarch ., appealing to the OK President to an
ounce himself as candidate. That gentle
IAN lad been defeated for a denomination to
ongress in 1885: there was an ugly scandal
regard to his private as we'll us his political
,nduc; and he cut no great figure In public
70 for q time. In the beginning OF 1883 Mr..
eyeland gave him his long deferred reward
the shape OF the mission to Mexico. but as
armony prevailed and Tummany Hall was to
'esent Mr.. Cleveland's name to tho National
invention. Gen. Bragg was kept sedulously
the background. This year. as the New
Dirk Democracy is against Mr.. Cleveland. it
as considered q cunning device to recall tho
ntest in the Convention OF 1894 and suggest
the national Democracy the policy OF honor
g Mr.. Cleveland again for "the enemos he
al made" Bragg Is once mora good dog.
The most noteworthy thing about Mr. Clevo-
nd's letter TO Gen. Bragg is the fact that. al
ough 1t means that no is candidate it docs
Vt say so. 1t was easy for Mr.. Cleveland, in |
Iswer to tho request made to him. TO say that
would allow his name to 10 preser ted to tho
,tional Democratic Convention and would
cept nomination for the Presidency cheer
lly. Why did he pirate and palavcr and avoid q
manly declaration? His natural duIlicI.y {
ny have had something 10 do with tho sneak [
& way In which no behaved; but it is possi-
0 that he had the grace to be ashamed to t
MOSS his own sellshncss that after having c
cured two nominations he shrnnk from de- G
anding third. And so TO meet u plain cues. c
IN plainly put. he mado several iaise pre- S
noes. He said: II In answering your uues- | {
ms might only consider my personal | r
slres and my individual ease and r
miJrf. my response would 10 promptly |,
.do and without the iens. reservation @
difficulty" The implication is that the an. Il
or would he VITO ep;scO1ar;. But what hin "
rs Mr. Cleveland from cnnsideriu: his own l.
iliyidual ease and comforty" He insisted O
II notable OCCASION that John Kelly should u
gard mis- persona! comfort" us a decisive t,
lsideration in political action. and the stand. O
which he asked tho boss OF Tammany Hall II
adopt has ever been his own. Is there an b
1anre in which no acted on any other n
her in private or public life? lie added: b
nut II You are right in surprising that tho C
lIect IL related to q duty that owe to tho 81
lhtry and to my party. n condition oyists ~
lch makes such private and personal con. X
erations entirely Irrelevant" The only b,
70 when tho United States ever laid its hand o,
Grover Cleveland's shoulder and said. re-
ou are needed was when he was m
tied for service 10 the Union army. He did h,
CO. but sent substitute That was well n,
ugh; but why should the man who re- nj
'd to shoulder musket and march to the oil
1t at crisis. when the lot foil on him to so. rc
st that his only motiva in seeking publio ~
20 is sense OF duty and desire for self Va
'iAce3 Before the draftol man there was tc