The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-05-14
wATTERsON ON CLEVELAND.

ington for some time inquiring into the
true inwardness of the democratic presi-
Dental situation and comes to the on
cldsion that Cleveland should not be
nominated by the Chicago convention.
No news is given when it is stated that
Mr.. Watterson declared against Cleve
lands nomination before his recent visit
to the capital of the nation, therefore it
cannot be said the gentleman has ex-
perienced a change of heart since he
wandered away from the Courier Jour
nal office.
In a recent communication to his
paper he gives several reasons why
Cleveland should be let severely alone.
AS Mr.. Watterson is a writer whose opin-
ions upon political questions carry con-
siderable weight in his party, and whose
loyalty to it cannot be questioned what
ever he may say concerning the present
political situation is of more than pass
ing interest to the general reader.
The gentleman sets out with the decla-
ration that the party has a very serious
situation to meet in the coming national
convention. Without explaining its
nature he asserts that Cleveland's
strength in New York is outsiI &c the
party organization, the greater part be
ing found in the mugwump press of the
state. and that in proportion as he is
strong with the mugwumps he is weak
with democrats. This, Mr.. Watterson
says. lis d condition, and not a theory
which the democrats of the country at
large are bound to take into adyisement
if they are not resolved to rush the party
to destruction in the next election.
Mr.. Watterson then runs over the story
of Clcveland's unpopularity as related to
him by democrats from one end of New
York state to the other. Here is t lie
story in Mr.. Watterson's own words:
Two years as governor and four years
as president completely destroyed Mr..
Cleveland with the men who had made
him governor and president. leaving him
not one single warm, devoted personal
friend among those democrats on whom
the party is wont to rely for it's ~organiza-
ton and leadership.
1t is charged on every hand that he is
insensible alike to personal and party OBJ
legations, it being only necessary to es-
tablish the fact of service to incur his
disfavor.
1t is charged that he is a slave of the
mugwumps. that to be a democrat is to
establish a claim upon his distrust, and
that, regarding himself as better than his
party, he has no sympathy with its as
pirations nor any convictions that run
parallel with its real aims and objects.
These are very grave charges against
a nan whom the party has regarded as
the very embodiment of political honesty
and whose loyalty to democracy was
held to be above suspicion. If true Mr..
Cleveland deserves 20 consideration at
the hands of the democratic party; if
false, his immediate personal and polit-
ical friends should waste no time to dis
prove them. Had they been uttered by
any other man than Henry Watterson
they would be received by the party as
the mouthings of a disappointed, soured
Office seeker and no attention be paid to
them. But coming from a man occupy
ing the position Mr.. Watterson does in
the councils of the party they can not be
lightly passed over. Their very gravity
will attract attention and provoke COM
ment throughout the union.
1t is we'll known hat while president
Mr.. Cleveland permitted thousands Of
republicans throughout the country to
hold federal positions during his whole
term of Office. but the Indignation of
democrats was Modified by the an
nouncement that Mr.. Cleveland was de-
termined to inaugurate a reform in the
government service which would be fol-
lowed by succeeding administrations.
Democrats didn't take much stock in
the stability of this reform movement.
but they smothered their wrath, made
the best of the situation and hoped for
the best. Mr.. Harrison knocked out Mr..
Cleveland's pretty little civil service re-
form god on the first round, and wore
out a gross or two of pens in signing
warrants for the decapitation of the
holding-ovcr democratic officials. But
this is a depression. We will follow Mr..
Watterson to his conclusions.
Continuing, Mr.. Watterson finds that
in those parts of New York where Cleve-
land is best known he has least party
support. Not because he has disap-
pointed the professional politicians, or
that he has been the enemy Of jobs and
jobbers. But it is because "he does not
distinguish between a friend and an
enemy, or that. il he does. it is a little in
favor Of the enemy" Mr.. Watterson
then adds:
That these are good qualities il
tempered by wisdom and moderation. in
an elected official will he readily ron.