The Coconino weekly sun., 1895-08-29
cLEvELANo's DESTINY.
Standing of tho Democratic Chief Ex-
 ecutive with Ills Party.

l ecutive with Ills Party.
 | MT. Watterson's observations about
 third term for President Cleveland
 are vigorous and full of shrewdness, if
 not in tke highest degree compliment
 tary. He maintains that the president
 cannot be renominated, that if he
 were nominated he would not carry
 single congressional district in the
 United States, and that the man is "a
 fool or craven tool" who thinks that
 Mr. Cleveland will be considered one
 of the greatest statesmen of the coun-
 try. But why this heat?
 President Cleveland believes in a
 tariff for revenue only, and has really
 lifted his party above itself in forcing
 it to make determined fight for one
 of it's traditional principles If demo-
 cratic principles deserve any honor
 whatever, the president has in this
 particular been one of their foremost
 champions. Possibly MT. Watterson
 may have observed that the only an-
 nual message ever devoted by presi-
 dent to one controverted topic was in- spircd by Mr. Clevcland's anxiety to
 sweep out of his way other aspirants
 for the democratic nomination. But
 if that is true, it is still the fact that
 he led the way to the only complete
 victory his party has won for more
 than thirty years, and if its fruits prove Dead sea apples, that is the fault
 ot the democratic theories and prin-
 ,iples, and not of the president who tried to get them adopted. The battle for tariff reform, as he and his friends would term it, results in disaster to ais party, not because he yielded or wavered or compromised, but because the kind of tariff which his party has for half q century constantly demand ed is one which prostrates American industries. Mir. Watterson himself has been for many years bold and uncom- promising advocate of such tariff. Why is it that he cannot find words of praise for the president who has brought democratic theories to some- thing like practical test?
 Mir. Wattcrson also believes in sound money. He must admit that in this Respect the president is much nearer right than the great majority of his party. He has not been altogether consistent, it is true. His advocacy of the state bank scheme would deserve the severest denunciation from Mir. Wattcrson, though it does not appear that this is the basis or cause of the distinguished Kentuckian's hostility. As to silver, the president has not been entirely consistent, but no other dem- ocratic leader has managed to lift him. self so far above the vicious and de- structive tendencies of his party, and if he has thereby made himself pro- toundly hated by democrats it does not appear that MT. Watterson ought for that reason to censure him.
 Presumably President Cleveland could not be elected third time, but it may be his destiny to dictate his own and by doing so to in- sure more complete defeat for his party than it would meet with any other candidate. Indeed, it looks as if the renomination of the president would simply destroy the democratic party as q coherent political force, and bring about the permanent rupture which has so long been threatened and with so much difficulty avoided. The | southern and western democrats would | probably go over to populism in great | numbers, if they had to choose between support of President Cleveland and | abandonment of their party. But this night after all be the greatest and | service of the president to lis country. If it should prove his mission to abolish the denocraLic | 'arty, and to put an end to its chances of success, he would have some claim O the gratitude of AmericanS--N. Y. Tribune.