New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-27
TIE PINNACLE or TIRTUE"

That eminent apostle OF national and inter
national morality The London Times" has
suffered q shock II X all along Of President
Clcveands "prcc!pitatc descent from the pin
nacle Of virtue" on which he took his stand in
the Hawaiian matter. THE Times" was very
much impressed with "thc lofty resolution eX-
pressed by President Cleveland hardly three
months ago" with reference 10 Hawaii which
was to undo n great wrong by restoring Mrs.
Dominis to the throne from which her sub
iects had deposed her. 1T Is so impossible 10
aucstion the correctness Of the canOns Of
tional morality then laid down by him., says
The Times" that one cannot help inqniring
what has since occurred to invalidatc them"
And II intimates that 1.-THE recent electoral sue
cesscs OF the Republicans" may have influenced
the Presidents Judgment in the matter 1t Is
commenting upon the Presidents action In
sending Admiral Walker TO Honolulu TO estab-
lish n naval station. This Is ''the precptaie
descent from the pinnacle of virtue" referred 10.
We can well understand how the President,
I'm repelling the advances of Hawaii 10 be an
nexed TO the United States and insulting those
who made them. should seem In the eyes Of Il
nation which never let slip such an opportunity
10 strengthen itself and extend its possessions
TO be standing on "the pinnacle Of virtue. II
no doubt seemed from the London point of view
an impressive and altogether admirable tablcau.
Indeed there ar. persons in this country who
contemplated the spectacle with the same rapt
admiration, and who said with manifest
emotion They are the persons In whose judg
ment "the pinnacle Of virtue" Is reached only
by the surrender to Great Britain Of all our
markets and whatever islands, ports and har
bors anywhere on the globe that aggressively
moral and virtuous Power may take liking to.
The great ma jor1ty Of the people, however, rs
was seen I'm what 1.-The Times calls the re-
cent electoral successes OF the Republicans" and
which promises 10 be illustrated on much larg-
or scale next November, do not take this view
of "thc pinnacle of virtue And 1t may be that
THE Times" has hit the solution OF President
Clcyeland's "prpcipitate descent" I'm its intima
lion that the late elections have been In the
nature of revelation to him.
B,lt "'rhe Times should also consider that
1.-THE pinnacle OF virtue Is very cold and
lonesome place Mr. Cleveland can bear lone
somencss. II Is true better than most men
He rather likes it, He has an uncommon gift
at discovering the most lonesome possible stu
atiops. and installing himself therein with nm
approachabc grandeur and magnificent self
possession His great distinction Is that he Is
THE man better than his party. But the cold
ness OF the pinnacle not the lonesomcness OF It,
may have Impcled his precipitatc descent. Has
"Thc Times" ever considered how cold mans
feet must get. Standing nj such n great alt
tude, with very little space to move around
I'm. and nothing TO warm him except an Occa
sional glow Of admiration from the upturned
faces OF .'the educated Glass; and this glow
gradually fading into a stony stare! It's
pretty hard case to keep man IN there Tor