Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-02-21


tion Democrats have gone SO far a. to begin
a systematic organization against Mr.
Cleveland. Of course these malcontents in
the Democratic party encounter at the out
set of their fight the dismal fact that all the
prizes are already in the possession of the
men they are fighting.
One of these senators, who proposes tu
combat the next administration in every
possible way, asked another Democratic
senator to join the recalcitrant combination.
The senator replied with tn Old story about
the two boys who were fishing. One of the
boys fell into the water. The other boy. il
will be remembered by those who have
heard the story before, promptly sprang
into the water and rescued his comrade,
whereupon an aged bystander remarked to
the Youthful hero of the occasion: Brave
lad, this boy must be your brother
''No. kind sir. he is no relative of mine ;
rescued him because he hal the bait in
his pocket
This antique anecdotc illustrates the atti-
tude of many of the Democratic senators
who would like to fight Cleveland if they
dared. There is scarcely one of them who
is not deeply inccnsed by the selection of
Judge Gresham as secretary of state
There is scarcely one of them who does not
resent Mr.. Cleveland's discovery of un-
| known quantities 10 the person of Michael
1 II. Smith, otherwise known as Eoke Smith
of Georgia, for secretary of the interior.
! There is not one of them who does not re-
sent such autocratic bulletins as the Presi-
| tlent-elect issued from Lakewood the other
day, proclaiming that his letters relating to
| his duties as President of the nited States
must not be addressed to his private resi-
dence, but must be sent to his business
office in the Mills building. There is not
/ one of them who is not angered by the
anticipation of Mr.. Clevelanl's purpose to
destroy, SO far rs federal patronage will
| avail, every existing Democratic machine
and to supplant them by organizations OF
| his own, devoted to the interests of the new
autocrat in American politics, in every state
| in the Mon.
I All these elements of opposition are about
/ to crystalize. Ii is possible now to name
some of the senators who will aggressiyely
/ oppose every proposit ion of Mr. Cleveland.
/ from the nomination IF members of the
cabinet down to the cheapest consulate
: which The Senate must confirm. In tine
( forefront of the opposition may be counted
/ the two Democratic senators from New
! York, Mr. Hill and Mr.. Murphy. Mr.. Hill.
/ by tkc way, during the past few days has
shown a surprising amonnt of activity and
| has proved that us a fighter he can hold his
own. even in that crucial test, the floor of
! the | nited State Senate. His companion
in arms, Mr.. Murphy is com
! paraiiyely unknown in Washington hut
| he il expected to lend 10 Mr..
! Hill substantial ail The anti-alminis,ra-
tion cohorts nrlndc botl, the senators from
| Alabama, Mr.. Morgan. who is very bitter
| against Mr.. Cleveland, and Mr.. Pugh
whose letters 10 his constituents referring
to the selection of Judge Gresham for sec
retary of state are absolutely insulting in
| their tone; Senator Harris of Tennessee,
! Senator Vance of North Carolina whose
colleague, Senator Ransom may he brought
/ into the combination Senator Daniel of
/ Virginia. whose colleague, Eppa Ilunton is
too anxious for an election hy the next fir-
gi'il Legislature to openly fight Mr.. Cieye-
I land Senator Berry of Arkansas, anil Il
number of other senators whose attitude
toward the boy with the bait" is as yet un-
! determined.
| Two of the strongest Democratic sena-
tors, German of Maryland and Bryce of
| New York and Ohio, have automatically
refrained from publicly ctiticisng the fore
shadowcd course of Mr.. Cleveland, There
is no doubt that they are Iisconten.ed. but
, they have betrayed no sign as yet tina, they
are willing to commit themselves to a dan
! ecrous hostility
The outlook is that Mr. Cleveland has
found il the wiser policy to surrenltr in "A
measure to the demands of the free silver
men. In order to hiring about the repeal of
the Sherman act, MIR cleveland is willing.
il is understood. to concede in a Modified
form some of the provisions of the Bland
Allison act. His present attitude illustrates
strikingly the superior political sagacity of
Mr. German over that of MFR. Carlisle.
Several weeks ago, during one of Mr.
Gorman's conferences with the Pre- sident-
elect, Mr.. Cleveland inquired Of the Mary
ltnd senator what the chances were of the
passage of repeal bill. Mr. Gorman
frankly answered that no repeal bill coGl'i
II" passed without = concession to the free
silver men, a'hling that something Ike the
Hihnd-Allsou act would he the only com
promise acceptable To the silver mem. Mr.
Cleveland replied that Mr.. CAili.lp hal
aft.'r cTcful canvass of the Senate. A.
>,Ircl nlm that repeat ans impossible With
ont any compromise. At a late visit Mr.
Cleveland again asked Senator Gornan re-
gariing the possibility of the repeal of flc
sherman act, and the Mary land Congress
man repeated his belief that unconditional
repeal was impossible. Representative
Compton, who accompanied Mr.. German.
was asked by Mr.. Cleveland concerning the
sentiment of the House. He, too, stated
that only by compromise could the repeal OF
the Sherman act be effected.
/ The rresideut-elect again told his visi-
tors that Mr.. Carlisle was still firm in his
belief that the repeal bill could be passed
and that Messrs. Willard and Dickinson
shared the confidence of the next secretary
of the treasury. The history of the silver
fights in the Senate anil the House proved
that Mr. German was right. Car'isie's
visit to Lakewood and Mr. Cleveiand's re-
/ newed conferences with those of the party
leaders in whom he confdes are likely t.
: to result in the next few days in rnnewe,
, effort for the pass age of the repeal bill, ac
companie'i this time, however, by di.tinei
bid for the support Of the free silver men
Another political project of the next ad
nlinistration has been thoroughly disconnte'