The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-11-17
CLEVELAND TOBLAME
Henry Watterson Holds
thePresident Respon-
SibIe.
He Forced the Wretched Wilson Bill
on the Party With all its Lady,
rinth of Trouble


Editor Henry Watterson. the leader
of the tariff reformers of the Southern
Democracy, holds Cleveland responsi.
BILE for the defeat of the Democratic
party in the elections. "GrOver Cleve.
land. he says, WAS never q consist.
ent tariff reformer. When he became
President of the United States it took
him three years to find policy. and
then he ran away from it as soon as he
was caught. In 1887. when he wrote
that famous message. he got so scared
about it that ten days later he pub
lished an interview in the New York
! Herald taking the backbone out of
the whole thing. Then he sent German
and Scott to the st. Louis Convention.
| in 1888, with a cut-and-dried platform
that made the most miserable and
cowardly straddle on the tariff ques-
ton ever invented
Look how Cleveland acted in 1892
Wilson and Villas went to Chicago as
the personal representatives of this
man. who pretended to be the pioneer
the John the Baptist-of tariff
reform, and what did they try to DO?
They tried toram Il protectionist essay
down the throats of self-respecting
Democrats. They stole plank ont of
the Republican platform and wanted a
Democratic Convention to indorse il.
Finally. when he was elected President
despite his apostasy to the principles
OF his party, Cleveland deliberately
sat on the wings of every honest and
able advocate of low tariff and forced
the Wretched Wilson bill on the party.
with all its labyrinth of trouble.
ITO this action OF Il Democratic
President may be chiefly ascribed the
condition of the Demo- |
cratic party. No letter from Grover
Cleveland would have helped Hill in
New York. 1t was too late. The ruin !
had already been accomplished. 1t |
was hard for Democrats to witness |
their Administration setting the pace !
of apathy in the campaign and refus-
ing TO indorsc the nominee. but that
very result was invited when they went |
to the most faction cursed State in the |
Union for a candidate. When in the
National Convention two years ago l
predicted that the Democratic party
was marching from Il slaughter house
10 an open grave. 1t seems that was
just a couple of years too soon. The
last presidential victory for the Demo-
cratic party was mere reaccident of the
lines. Cleveland ought never to have
been nominated. We voted our can
lidate into the White House, but we
voted our party into an irreconcilable
awsuit between implacable foes"
Now. who shall the Democrats
dominate in 1862" l asked Mr. Wat
erson.
''Oh, my lord. man. said he. don t !
ak about that. What l am afraid of
$ the possible fact that it may make !
cry little difference. A strong effort .
7ill be made in the next Democratic !
National Convention to send the tariff
ssue to the rear and raise the strange J
anner of free silver. This may split
he party in a thousands pieces or de-
troy it altogether. R
could the Democrats win upon the '
5sue of free silver?'' v
Never. 1t would be fatal step for
le party to take. Yet wemust be pre-
ared to see the attempt made to com
lit Democracy to that financial S
eresy." a