New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-23
prepared to adopt the preferential system Oh
tariffs for all that they are really WORTH.
THE PRESIDENTS DILEMMA.

THE PRESIDENTS DILEM"A'
There appears to be misunderstanding. INC
statesmen to whom the people have turned over
tbc government of the country for the next
fcm yca,s differ as to what the people really
cxrcct them to do. This seems queer, for only
last October they were perfectly agreed ABOUT
il all united and harmonious, and so cnth''Si-
,stic that they stayed out late nights talking
tiu their talk was thick about how the Eov-
crrmcnt should be run, and would be. as soon
rs ever the party of L. Jefferson got huiu
Of it. And now they are all at sea on inc
whole business without definite plan or posi-
tive policy on any CT the questions inc! APP
ucarcd 80 harmonious about during the CUM
ra;on. Differences about division OF plundcr
and filing the Offices were to be expected, OF
oorrsc Of these there has been no lack, ana
continues TO be n gontccl suilcicncy. They be-
gan with Gresham and IIokc Smith; were not
lacking in tho matter Of Isaac Pussy Gray ana
will probably drzzc down for the next year or
two till al! the fourth class poStohccS are inca
with fourth- class men. and the last man VINO
" bolcrCd" for Cleveland turns away from
Washington and walks home " on his urpcr'.
IN tho general tanelc about the Offices there Is
ro,bjnp phenomenal or unusual. unless it be
the extraordinary contingent contributed by
Gcorpia. which is reported to have pretty much
dopoprlatcd that State and led to the setting
M Of the legend Standing room Only n
front of most Of the Washington barrocmS.
That safe of affairs is due, OF course TO lloRe
smith. who il trying to cvade responsibility
I,y proclaiming through his Atlanta newspaper
that as an occupation. cultivating the SOIL holds
over working for the Government great many
points.
The confusing thing in the situation Is an
APPARENT disposition on tho part OF President
Cleveland TO regard the professions made IN
,hc Chicago platform rs no joke, but serious
and sincere. This in itself is vcla'On OF AL
the presidents and uSagcS OF the party, mo
inyar;ahlc Democratic custom having been 70
use platforms for election purposes only ana
drop them as soon rs the votes arc counted
President Cleveland is conceded on all hands
~ be the most remarkable Democratic states
man of his TIM. No Democrat ever violated
50 many Of hi, party's uSagcs, dlsrcgardcd so
any OF it, time honorcd proccdcntS and GUS
TOMS. or few 20 Violently in the face OF Us
nest rcycrcd traditions. II was not expected
that no would run the Government in the
ordinary Democratic rItS but that he should
deliberately avow his purpose 10 he governed
by the principles laid down in the platform
seemed {, The BOmbJns revolutionary ana 10
all - mccralS of any standing in the party
absurd Ii was a if after fishing al day with
the famous hell crummot,' Is bait he should
serve I'D hell grmmct>" for supper instead
# fish The s.tua ion i, further c'mplicl'fd by
The Circumstance that a considerable number
e person, who vt Il for him are actually up
holding him in his revolutionary c1ulSr, ceIinc
him on. and cry ing. More power 10 Your
elbow 80 Thee pcIson, IL l. chllgc1 are
acinatcd by mischcvouS and malicious motives
il j, believed that they hope T. disrupt and
destroy the patty even while the SpoilS OF a
great victory arc in sight and undivided.
The siiun,on. - will be seen. is very con-
fn,inc. Nj. Cleveland evident, desires 10 do
certain thing, and adopt certain policies sim
lily because tho patty that c'cctcd him promised
ihom. and on the promise carried the country.
II must be admitted thnt thore |, certain
FEASIBILITY in his position. Under other cir
,um>ianccS were il any other party TO which
he owed his election, the argument in favor of
his pursuing a certain llnc OF conduct because
he ard his party had - promised would be
unal>wciaLlc. In; The answer u This by th2
leading statesmen Of his party is that he was
elected a> Democrat. by Dem jcllt>, with
full knowledge of the inyal able rule OF the
ATTY t. kick over The platform and disregard
lis professions - soon Il victory Is attained.
And they .ay that il is plain breach Of faith
on his Fart 70 abandon the time honorcd piac-
iicr of the party. Loyalty - the party and il
ualit.on, necessarily involve, l'lng = the
people t. let the platform come between the
party and it, real purposes is trcachery Of the
worst sort. Worse, if possible than what
"Tim'' Campbell once complained of when he
said '.Oh what's the ConStitushin tween
frins?" With the platform Oh one side ana
the bu Of the party on the other Mr.. Clcvc-
land is between tho devil and the deep sea"
lie i, q remarkable man. and it may be that
no will emerge from the present dilemma Is the
creator Of a new panty.