The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-12-13
Prayer to Cleveland.

The Gunnison (Colo.) Tribune con-
tanned the following: Previous to
the close of the democratic county con-
vention last Tuesday, Edward Croke,
mayor of Irwin, arose and the delegates
reverently bowed their heads while he
offered prayer to Almighty Cleveland.
The voice was filled with emotion and
the reporter found it difficult to get
every word. But here it is:
Oh, almighty and all-powerful Cleveland,
who art in Washington, when not fishing;
thou who art the father OF Ruth and Ruth's
sister, and the godfather of the democratic
party Gts father wouldn't own it if he were
here), we hail thy name as the great polit-
ical prophet of the century. We bow down
before thee in humble political obedience
When thou sayest go, we go; when thou
but to serve thee If thou sayest black is
white we will swear to it and lick the ever
lastin' stuffn' out of the man who disputes
it. When thou takest snuff we will sneeze
when thou sayest free silver we will echo
thy words; when thou sayest gold, then
gold it is. We are democrats after the im-
proved modern type. Our business is to
vote the ticket and vote 'er straight. What
is it to us whether we have free silver or
not? We are but dogs that eat Of the
crumbs that fall from our masters tables.
w nen INC crumbs Idll we WdS our UdllB;
when they fall fast we wag faster; when
they don't fall we stand and wait until they
do. This is democracy. This is the kind
of democracy which elected thee, our great
and almighty Cleveland. Oh, most adored
master, we love thee for what thou hast
done for us. We love thee because thou
art Cleveland. We humbly surrender our
selves to thee. Do with us as thou wilt.
Though wheat is but forty cents bushel
we love thee; though cotton is low we love
thee though business is dull we love thee;
though thousands, millions, are out of en-
ployment we love thee; though our child
rem are clothed in rags we love thee; though
our wife, the dear companion OF our bosom,
is scantily dressed and looks so shabby she
can't 60 to church, we love thee; though we
are sinking deeper in debt, and poverty is
knocking at the door, and hunger is staring
us in the face, we love thee still. This shows
our great faith and love for thee. Our
wives and children we are willing to sacri-
flee, even as the Hindoo mother sacrifices
her offspring by throwing it under the
crushing wheels OF the juggernaut. Oh
mighty Cleveland, words cannot express
our love for thee. We love our party, too.
What care we about the many promises it
made? We know it promised free silver
and we know IL won't give 1t TO u.s. but we
will stick to the party. We know we said
il it did not do the things it promised to
do we would leave it, but we lied when we
manhood about us, but we amt. We have
no independence. Thou, oh mighty Cleve-
land, hast all the manhood and independ
ence in the party. We are fools,
liars, lickspttles and mudsills. We
have no business to want anything or to
say anything. Last year we favored free
silver, and now we have TO oppose it. We
favored it then because we thought it was
right. We oppose it now, most adored mas
ter, because thou tellest us to- Amt we a
he. ct el.sA % IN Il 4
serve his master more faithfully? Did ever
a dog get less for it? Oh mighty master, we
are ever ready to serve thee and our party.
All the pay we ask is TO be patted on the
back by some local politician and called
good democrat. We amt got any sense. We
don't want any, only enough TO vote the
ticket. 1t don't take any sense to be good
democrat. What joyful thought We
don't have to think. We don't have to
worry. Our work is all mapped out for us.
All that is expected Is to do what we are
told to do. We thank thee, oh Cleveland,
that we are democrats. We thank thee for