New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-25
MP cJrYrL4ND'S COURAGE.

TT before election Mr. Clcveands utterances
on current political issues were somewhat
guarded and his expressions OF OPINION son'c
what foggy and obscure, it must be sdiu ,ha'
since his election he has been quite OutSpoheh
and direct and his meaning unmlstakabie. Tic
certainly did not shun committal on the can
didacy of Edward Murphy, jr, for Senator, put
rather went out of his way to give puDiicl!
TO his views on that subject. lhiS WIS '"e
more remarkable from the circumstance 'ha'
there was not the slightest probability 'ha' HIS
expression Of opinion would have any influence
upon the action of the Legislature. Inc OH!
effect of it apparently was to SOUND the SisN''
for omen war between the two factions 10 "hoSe
upitod efforts Mr.. Cleveland in great measure
owed his election. If he had been ret~eh'
in snecch during the campaign on the stDJec'
of differences in the party II MS cohuuc' n"u
hon particularly discreet his attitude neutral
,rd his language lciliatory while the cleo
ton was pending. there certainly was no re''
CONGO aftcrwaid. no avoidance OF this danger
ous subject and no pretence OF neutrality. lie
stepped straight into the ring without so m'ch
nc an invitation. and with unmlstakable Ill
rcc,ncss and precision struck out from the
shOulder-lm
lie has expressed himself on another subject
recently with a brcvity and plainncss that
leaves no question as TO his meaning 1t was
in answer 70 the question asked him the other
dav whether the Mckinley law was to be re-
pealed I'D like to know" SAID he, what
else we are in power for" This was cafe
porical enough 1t signed that, so far as he
was concerned he understood the Democratic
victory to mean a popular Endorsement Oh the
declaration of the party platform that Protec-
tion is fraud and robbery and popular de-
mand for the repeal of the Mckinley act
That is what the Democratic party has been
placed in power for. according to his inter-
pretation Of the result. IL seems very simple
But is it? Mr.. Cleveland exhibits the courage
of his convictions and to degree the methods
of his mental operations in this declaration.
It is very short and very simple intellectual
process. The people have declared against the
Mckinley act he reasons What else then,
can we do but repeal it But isn't it much
ascr said than done? Coinage and dnectness
arc all very well for Mr.. Cleveland who as
President has only to strike out u general line
cf policy without having to confront the en-
bs, rassment of a vast amount Of details. These
details are the function OF leglSlation-of con
struotive as well as destructive lcglslation-and
when il comes TO that President Cleveland VIII
not ONLY find himself and his party entangled
in complicated mass of details which cannot
he disposed of by any heroic cutting OF Cor
dian knots. but he will find in his own party
such wide divergenccS of opinion and such
differences on even his fundamental doctrines
a. NAV be insurmounable
There is another declaration in the Demo
cratic platform which is easier to carry ont.
Easier. that is to say, il the party that adopted
il. and that elected MIR. Cleveland upon 1t, Is
honest and actually meant what 1t SAID. IL Is
the declaration that the Silver Purchase act is
| "a cowardly max eshft' that ought to be speed
ily repealed This is, if possible, more direct,
specific and unambguoas than that on the
Mckinley act. 1t can be carried out by Mr..
Cleyelands supporters in this Congress II they
so will There are very few necessary com
plicatiOns in the process: almost no details 10
deal with little more than L simple repeating
act is required We are glad to know that
Mr.. Cleveland himself is anxious that it should
he done that on this subject no less than on
the tariff or the United States Senatorship he
/, out~poken and earnest. But the difficulty is
with his party. II is not courage either that
il lacking in them. IL is honesty; sincerity
Mr.. Cleveland may ask in his simplicity in the
light Of the declarations in his party PLATFORM
"What else are we in power for if not to re-
peal the present tariff and the Silver Purchase
| act?- but the men who elected him think
there's good deal else. And they think, too,
that nothing is more ridiculous than to cOnstrue
tho platform literally and undertake to fulfil
its promises.
We have nothing but praise for Mr.. Cleve-
lands courage and directness OF statement.
But they are of little account practically I'M
| less he has party TO back him up.
| RIIT