The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-10
PETER SIZES UP

The Preafdonf, aud Says % Years HIS
Reputation VIII BE Nothing.
PrTTsBURe, Aug. ia Washington
special to the Dispatch says a majority
of the so-called statesmen who inhablt
this town act like timid white rabbits.
Each sits trembling behind his little
bush Of corruption, or Matching his fool
ish little presidential egg and shivers
with fright if anyone asks him to talk
Beside these shivery citizens Senator
PETER of Kansas produces a most favOra-
bic impression. He may be all sugar
trust men and others say Of him. but It
is certain that honesty is included among
his peculiariries and that he is not afraid
to saw what he thinks
''What do you think the future will
have to say OF Grover Cleveland what
viii be his exact standing IN history, and
TO what permanent achievement by him
Will future writer's be able to pointI'
He thought about Cleveland, and he
said: "Mr. Cleveland had but one lead
ing idea when be entered national poll
tics, and that was to reform tariff legIs-
lation- He IS man of strong convIc-
tlons and honest purposes Had he been
permitted to have his own way he would
have accomplished a great deal of good,
but social and financial influences were
too strong for him. He has been moved
out of his orbit, and now, like IA wander
ing comet, is getting further and further
constituted his intellectual habitation.
lie will not get another idea and his first
one has been lost. He has failed utterly
TO fulfill the promise of his national be-
ginning.
The presidents utilization with fnan-
clal interests has decreased his influence
as a public man. lie will pass away
from the public stage. The Democratic
party Will soon be disbanded. lis life IS
about run Grover Cleveland will pass
away with it In twenty tive years it will
be seen that nothing III Mr.. Cleveland'5
public career made any real impression
on the history Of his country.
only the man who succeeds in actu-
ally accomplishing great reform, or one
Who sOws great seed which actually
ripens in time can hope 70 be remem-
bered."
please try to imagine yourself a his
tOrian fifty years from now and writing a
short child's history of America Then
dictate exactly what you think would be
your chapter on Grover Cleveland. AIr.
PETER folded his long, thin hands in his
long, thin lap and posed his face in his
long. thin beard and dictated this chap
ter Of the future child's history
"Grover Cleveland-his public career
illustrated the possibilities of develop
ment among common people or Il p IN
ocracy. His position in history is about
the same As Harrison. Polk or Garfield"
Mr. PETER then changed the subject
He said:
The next house of representatives
Will have a big majority Of Republicans.
That is perfectly certain. The Demo
cratic party Will never recover from lis
present disorganizatiou. 1t is divided
against itself, and curIously enough it is
divided upon the same Inns those upon
which the entire people Of the nation
are divided. 1t Is a division of labor
against capital
"The idea that the tariff vacillation has
had all to do with this panic and depres-
sion is ftIlacious, although it will help
greatly in the killing Of The Democratic
party The country has reached the
stage where something has to be done.
The first step Will be the national owner
ship Of railroads..
Mr.. PETER was good enough to express
his opinions Of a number of great men.
sMen great in all directions" said he,
''are very few. If any really ever existed.
Abraham Lincoln, Julias Caesar and IA
poleon Bonaparte came nearer to univer-
sal greatness than any men IN history.
In the senate John Sherman is
the greatest man in the old school of
finance. In political history Morgan Of
Alabama is the ablest senator. Ia mod
ern finance Senator Jones of Nevada ex-
cells them all. As a political worker the
shrewdest man is Chandler. German is
the shrewdest politician. HIPS trouble
is too much courage That's why Cor
man beats him as a politician. Hill does
not care whether he has one man against
him thousand When his mind is
made up he goes ahead.
Mr.. Reed Of Maine is one Of the men
who do not help the world along. lie
takes it as he finds it, gets what lie can
out of it and leaves il, 50 far as he is
concerned, just where it was when he
came upon it. But he is a brilliant man,
despite his lack Of value TO his race"