Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-07-01
\ REPUBLICANS STATESMAN
Comes Out for Cleveland and Discusses the
EN-PresideEt's Course.

Ex-PresideEt's Course.
Charles Francis Adams contributed to
the July Forum paper entitled, "What
Mr.. Cleveland Stands For" The artl-
Gle is introduced with the query put to
himself: "How is it that you, an orlgl-
nal member of the Republican party
and an officer in the Union army all
through the army of the Rebellion
how is it that you, with this political
and military record, are now a supper
ter of the Presidential candidate Of
the Democratic party?" In answer Mr..
Adams quotes the remark Of William
Nj. Evarts, that, "the Republican party
was like an army the term Of enlistment
of which had expired" Proceeding,
he enumerates the issues OF the i'm
pending campaign thus: 1.-The econ
omic and commercial system, commonly
known as protection. 2.-The purifca-
ton and reform of the civil service.
3.-What is known as the currency
question" now taking the form Of de-
mand for the free coinage of silver at
an artificial ratio with gold. 4.-The
pension system.
What is the attitude of Mr.. Cleveland
so far as these issues are concerned.
He has made his position on them all
distinctly understood. He has stood
forth q clean-cut political eharacter-a
manwith the courage Of his convictions.
His course on the civil service reform
question may seem to be most open to
attack. Under Cleveland the Demo-
cratic party came back into power in
1885, after twenty-eight years of ex-
cIusion from it. Democrats were sim
ply ravenous for spoils. l think it will
be found that the removals during Pres
ident Cleveland's administration were
fewer in number and less dictated by
partisan or political consideration than
those of President Harrison, who sue
ceeded him. And Harrison represented
the party which claims to be prrty OF
civil service reform.
On the issue of protection it may be
questioned whether any President ever
acted from higher or more diSinterested
motives than did Cleveland when he
took the course he did in his annual
message of 1887. Before that message
it was conceded that all the President
had to do TO secure a reelection was
silently TO bide his time. When, after
a careful investigation, Mr. Cleveland
was convinced that the tariff system
needed modification, he did not hesitate
to cast all further Interior considera-
tions aside and boldly to indicate his
opinion.
1t was the same with the silver ques-
ton. 1t was unnecessary for President
Cleveland, as he then was, to express
in February last any opinion upon it.
1t was within his power, by maintain
ing a discreet silence, to hold himself
in the position where those in favor OF
free coinage Of silver and
those who were opposed to it
could equally lend him their
support. He might have lodged the
issue. His letter Of February 10, 1891,
to the Cooper Union meeting was, as
look upon it, one Of the most creditable
utterances that ever came from an
American public character. He did not
want 20 have his position misnnder-
stood. He did not propose to stand be-
fore the country in false attitude.
On the question of pensions l speak
with some degree of feeling. because in
common with many others, feel a
sense Of humiliation ia seeing the unI-
fork We once vi re turned into men
Ter the edkuinise a-
tons NbIet prod thatcf = send
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