The Red Cloud chief., 1895-08-23
WHAT "a DEMoCRACYs
014srence Of Opinion ~ to what N
Really Means.


Really Means.
What APPEARS TO be much needed
lust now at the opening Of the prssi
dental campaign Is an intellectual bu
resu that shall be able TO explain what
IL democracy. The dxnocrsAic lesdsss
themselves Seem 70 be In . STATE Of
confusion The country knows where
Mr.. Cleveland stands, but Mr.. Clsvs.
land Ia one kind Of democrat and the
democratic party Ii mostly another
kind. There is ono feature In the life
and character Of the ex.pres.dent that
men Of all parties have respect for,
namely his munly and independent I'D.
hercnce 10 his political convictions re-
CARELESS Of the effect upon his political
fortunes IL not always right he Il
always courageous. Though virtually
f%epudiatcd by the election Of Crisp -
speaker over Mills. MIR. Cleveland ap-
pcals from the dccision Of his party In
the house to his party outside the
house, and boldly filings out the gage
Of battle to the triumphant faction Of
his party.
In a speech at the New York jack
o banquet, January ., Mr.. CLEVELAND
plainly serves notice on the Hul.0or.
man-Crisp combination that tho aemc-
cratic party must stand BY the platform
of 1888; that IL will tolerate no shifty
schemes and insinccre professions"
that it is in mo mood for political
maneuvering," and will not waste
time in studying conundrumA guessing
riddles, or trying to interpret doubtful
phrases" This indicates that the Cleve-
land forces are prepared to lock horns
with the Hill crowd In congress, and II
the astute Mr.. Springer attempts 10
push through q moderate tariff bill he
will encounter opposition In his "
party With q bill for the sweeping re.
peal Of the Mckinley tariff, involving
. contest strictly between tbs Hill and
Cleveland factions, which the republic.
ans would regard with great com.
placency, because Il would inevitably
kill OF both candidates and disintS
crate the democratic party.
Again the silver question, like che
tsrin issue, Is to the demoosstic party
. two-sdged sword. Ns. Springer, with
his usual adrostness, proposes -
sheathe IL until the presidential wei 10
over. Mr.. Cleveland, with character.
lstic boldnes,, Is willing 70 draw u
now. Mr.. Hill recommends the repeal
Of the silver act of 1890. without a6irm.
alive action until after the presidential
struggle. II will be seen that the HUI
Springer policy is 10 ''pslter with - II
= double sense" wriggling and shift
Ing to evade o discussion Of the sux~
renoy question 80 thot the democratic
position shall not be defined until the
presidential battle has been fought and
the hazard il passed. With such ire
eopeilable differences prevailing among
she party leaders both In and out o.
congress, each claiming TO preach pure
and unadulterated democracy, whsl
sort Of discipline should be expected
among the rank and RleP Who shall
decide what is democracy? Does II
mean . party afraid Of its principlesl
II would seem So, unless the free-trads
Issue Is pushed 70 the front. Does II
mean that the free-silwer fanatics have
struck their flag and surrendered h
the gold bugs" and that, 30 far from
treating the coinage question q para
mount, they will lay II over till The
second session Of the present congress-
20 prevent the fatal embarrassment OF
party division In 1892?
Not II Mr.. Cleveland and his mug.
vumpian phalanx a prevent II. Tbs
Boston Reform club, which was the
nucleus of the republican bolt that
elected Cleveland president, and which
has been comatose since 1884, has just
been resuscitated and rechristened a
the Columbian party. II demands, es'
s~entially. that the democratic party
shsll accept Mr.. Cleveland - Q prssi'
dental candidate on q platform Of hi
construction, which means free trade
and honest money. II the democratic
party refuses TO do this, then. 10 Quots
the words Of . Columbian orator: I'VE
shall indict defeat upon Il In the next
election" This IL an ominous declare
Zion. II the democratic congress n
wise It will promptly swear allegiance
70 Grover Cleveland, then march 70 tn
Sear Of the column and fall in behini
| the Columbian party. -ChicAgo0rSphic