Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-11
THE THIRD TERM
Speculation About It General in
Democratic Circles.
ALLEGED STORY OF ITS ORIGIN
A Letter Shown to Mr.. Cleveland
and He Smiled.
MANY LEADERS ANXIOUS

MANY LEADERS ANXIOUS S
Speculation about third term for Mr..
Cleveland is now SO general in political
circles that attention is directed to Its
origin. Is 1t the product of politicians-men
in office, who fancy that an extension of
Mr.. Cleveland's term of public service
would mean a new lease for themselves
or is there authority for 1t from any ex-
preston of any considerable portion of the
democratic masses themselves?
Of Recent Growth.
The proposition is of recent growth. The
morning after the November elections found
rot a trace of 1t anywhere. The boot was
rather on the other leg. Many of the demo-
cratic leaders. in a guarded way. held the
administration accountable for the over
whelming disaster that had overtaken the
party, and expressed the opinion that Mr..
Cleveland would probably be glad enough
when the time came for him to retire from
office. Such thing as his being willing to
try for the presidency again, or Of the party
asking him to do SO, did not occur to any
body, But before Cor gress adjourned in
March third term for Mr.. Cleveland was
openly discussed in the cloak rooms of both
the Senate and the House, and more than
one democrat Of national reputation had
expressed approval Of it. The topic is now
leading In the newspapers, and the recog-
nized administration champion in the Sem
ate, Mr.. Gray, comes out in favor of Mr..
CleVeland's denomination. Does Mr.. Gray
speak also for Mr.. Bayard? He is Mr..
Bayard's most intimate friend, and Is just
back from visit abroad, where he met Mr..
Bayard and was his guest Did they con-
Ter and agree as to this very important
matter? And If Mr. Bayard may be quoted
a for Mr
how many more distinguished democrats
holding high places under the administra-
ton are on the list? And what Is the pro-
gram?
How 1t Started.
The discussion is lively. More questions
are propounded than were ever asked at a
well-attended meeting of a well-organized
sewing society There are likewise some
interesting answers given. For one thing,
1t is asserted that the proposition had its
origin outside of the circle of managing
politicians.
AS the story goes, early in December,
while the politicians were still hopelessly
and helplessly in the dumps about the
November result, a prominent official re-
ceived a long letter from a friend-a man
not in office and not wanting offlce-in
which the whole situation was carefully
and, as the official thought, luminously ex-
amined. This, man. was. a. tariff reformer
and an advocate of sound money. He was
also a great admirer of Mr.. Cleveland He
wrote at some length and pointed out that
Mr.. Cleveland must again lead the party.
Otherwise, as this man insisted, democratic
disorder and disruption would be inevitable
The argument was that the party as a
party had failed to score except as to the
money question. Tariff revision was next
to confessed fiasco. Mr.. Cleveland had
been right and had tried to secure the
proper and the promised legislation, but
protection democrats in the Senate had de-
feated him. But he had hit the bulls-eve
as to the finances, and was the only man in
the party capable Of carrying the tight to a
successful finish. He must be renominate ted
for this particular purpose.
The Letter Shown to Cleveland
The figures offered were these. The
south's vote sure The south, it was as
serted, would not bolt In the last analysis
she had always held the negro question
above all other questions and would do SO
again. She might insist and threaten as to
silver, but she would never bolt for any
failure to get what she wanted on that
score. Then New York, New Jersey, Con-
necticut and Indiana. would, it was pre-
dicte0, return to the democratic column,
with Mr.. Cleveland in the forefront stand
ing for sound money, while in Ohio and
Illinois, in Wisconsin, Minnesota and
Michigan greater fight could be put up
in Mr.. Cleveland's name than in that of
any other leader in the party.
The prominent official. in reading this
letter to a friend, remarked at the close:
Il believe I'll show this to the old man
himself
II would in your place." was the reply
The thing was done. The prominent Off
cial, upon his next visit to the White
House. after transacting his regular busi-
ness, produced his friends letter, saying:
Here is something, Mr.. President. that
may interest YOU.
Mr. ho a.
slowly, and, handing it back, smiled pleas
antly and replied: That is very kind. But,
Of course; | haven't thought about such a
thing; Tell me something about your
friend" And this the prominent official
proceeded 20 do in terms of very warm
eulogy.
Suggestions From Other Quarters.
The story got ont. The President had
smiled at the suggestion of his name for
another term. and had inquired about the
author of it. The suggestion soon came
from other quarters. This same official got
letters of like tenor from other persons,
and other prominent men did also. 1t
seemed to please such people to be told
lat their letters had been read by the
President, and that he had appeared to ap-
preciate their very high praise. And
good many of these letters, it is said, found
their way to the White House.
Beyond this there Is no authoritative re-
port. Mr.. Cleveland, at most, seems cnly
to have smiled when the subject was men
toned, and to have manifested some polite
and natural curiosity about those indulging
in such unusual praise of him.
Democratic Leaders Alarmed.
But this is sufficient to give many dem
ocratic leaders genuine alarm. They don't
like the looks of things. They are not crit
icising Mr.. Cleveland, but rather the men
who are laying before him their private
correspondence written in this yein. Any
man, they. hold, is liable to be impress I'd
with praise SO hearty, and to have his
judgment more less affected by it. But
that Mr.. Cleveland could be elected Pres
ident again not man of them believes.
And they hope he may see his way at an
early day to put the whole matter at rest.
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The COlumbin's New Commander.
One result of the court-martial of Capt.
George W. Sumner is the issuance of orders
deta aching him from command of the cruiser
Columbia and assigning Cant lanes "