Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-21
DAVE A CUTE ONE
His Speech Was a Clever Bit
of Evasion.
WHAT HE MIGHT HAVE SAID
Compared With What He Did Say.
Cleveland's Friends Are Not
Pleased With Him.


eral ways of reading and constructing
Senator Dave Hill's Il am a democrat
still' orstion in Brooklyn last night,
and the politicians are taking advantage
OF the opportunities today. The speech
was not as favorable as Mr.. Cleyelsnd's
friends hoped It would be nor vet quite
unfavorable enough 10 please the re-
publlcans. The consensus of opinion
seems TO be that the senator used too
many words IN expressing too few
IDEAS. He drew upon the dust-covered
top shelf for the stock ideas instead of
reaching for things just at hand, placed
in tempting array TO catch MS eye and
cajole his favor. What MI. Cleveland s
friends would have liked 10 have heard
him say was something 10 this effect:
/ have been charged by our common
enemy, the republicans, with having
betrayed Mr.. Cleveland IN 1888 and
with harboring desire 10 revenge N.Y.
self for my defeat IL the Chicago con-
ventlon. These charges are unquali-
tiedly false and | am here now To say
that Mr.. Cleveland has my loyal sup
port and that | shall do my utmost 10
bring about his election.
What the senator did say was this:
Let US close up our ranks and buckle
on our armor for the fight, with the
determination to do all in our power
Tor the triumph of our party and the
election of our honored standard bear
ers, Cleveland and Stevenson.
Something Lacking.
Although this has the true ring about
it, there is something lacking, and
those whe heard the senator last night
and who have read his speech today
cannot but admire the righteousness
of the sentiment of his entire speech
even while they deprecate the absence
of anything of real value to cheer. 1t
is opined by conservative democrats
that the senator paid too much a,ten-
ton to extraneous issues and too little
to individuals. HIS elevation of the
Ubiquitous force biIl' to the front
rank as the paramount issue is not re-
garded with favor. but 1t shows
conclusively that Charles Anderson
Dana, who conducts q wholesale opin-
ION factory at Franklin street and Park
row, had one or more interviews with
the Elmlra statesman before the piece
spoken last night was written. Mr..
Hill is the same sort of q democrat as
Mr.. Dana, and the iatter's newspaper
can be said TO more faithfully reflect
the views of Mr.. HIPS school of democ-
racy than any other one factor In ex-
preston. The feature in making Sena-
| tor Dawes speech that attracted the
| most attention was his failure to cav
something good about Mr.. Cleveland
| right out plump instead of taking
refuge behind wall of metaphor
and his outspoken disavowal OF
| the tariff as the main issue. 1t stands
in bold contradistlnction To his retic-
ence concerning Mr.. Cleveland person
ally. 1t also means, as the independ-
ent democrats view it, that the party Is
hopeessiy divided on the tariff issue
into three parts, designated thusly:
The Henry Wstterson wing, unadul-
terated free trade. with no frills or
apologies.
The David Bennett Hill wing, semi
| protective reform, limitations not ex-
pressly defined.
The Grover Cleveland wing, tariff re.
| form with free trade tendencies, limi.
tations not expressly defined.
You Take Your Pick.
| If an undecided voter does not find
what he wants here, he is invited Ia
| demand il and q fourth wing will be
tackled on.
| 1t is believed that Senator Dave did
no. intend to scatter frost on Mr.. Cleve-
| lands theories, yet the fact cannot be
disputed that there is much left for
| him to say to demonstrate his real
friendship for the Buzzsrd's Bay man
and the ticket. If he Is sincere in hls
desire to assist in bringing about the
latter's election be will lose 10 time in
| voicing some expressive sentiment to
| take the place of his ambiguous in
dorsement of last night. which
/ however friendly a reader or beare'
may have been. fell like wet
rag upon their hopes. The re-
deeming feature of the affair Is that
the rag was warm. Perhaps Senator
Dave may supply the deficiencies when
be talks again next week. Senator
| Dawes speech will be cent broadcast
over the country as a campaign dOcn
| nent. 1t IL already in the hands OF
the printers to be printed in convenient
! pamphlet form for mailing. The ma
| tional committee this morning ordered
! 100 600 copies of the speech printed al
| once.
Senator Hill will speak in Buffalo
next Saturday night and will get tire
/ mendous ovation there. Next week he
/ will go south to make speeches in Nir
gina and South Carolina. Next month
/ he will speak in this city, Elmira, Syr.
acuse and other places up the state.