The sun., 1895-05-18
Who Is tho Original Third-Term
Man?

Man?
In two recent proclamations from the
White House, Mr.. CLEVELAND has offered
his services to the people as the f1gurehead
of a cause vaguely described by him as that
Of sound money and a safe currency"
For several weeks it has seemed likely that
these manifestoes had a direct, il subterra-
mean, connection with certain cautious yet
systematic efforts to test public opinion on
the question of a third term.
The observant and ingenious correspond
ent in New York of the Philadelphia Press
has been trying to trace this connection, by
following up to their probable source the
little rivulcts of third-term sentiment which
now trickle across the editorial pages of
some of the Cuckoo newspapers Of the more
reckless sort. The task is worth the trouble
Nothing that increases our knowledge Of
the psychology of cuckooism is without
value as material for the political history Of
these times.
In the first place, the Press's correspondent
acquits Col. DAN LAMONT of any part or
interest in the thrd-term nonsense A
man "who has had very intimate relations
with Mr.. CLEvELAND's Administration"
editors in western New York on the subject
Of third term for Mr. CLEVELAND, admits
that the matter has been mentioned to
LAMONT That astute person replied in
stantly that it was useless to attempt to
rekindle third-term sentiment. Mr.. CLEvE-
LAND, in his opinion, would not listen to
such a suggestion. If there seemed to be
any serious growth of the third term plan,
Mr.. CLEVELAND would take, in his own
way, steps to put an end to it,
Now, while it is undoubtedly true that
Col. LAMONT would talk that way, at the
present stage of the game, if he were at the
very bottom Of third-term movement, we
do not believe that this very adroit and
sensible politician is revolving any such
idea, even in the innermost machinery of
his able mind. Mr. CLEVELAND as a states
man Is in peculiar sense the creation of
Col. DAN LAMoNT's genius. When Mr..
CLEVELAND has followed the Colonel's
advice in political matters, he has generally
profted by his docilty. When he has
chosen to goit alone, he has frequently come
to grief. Nearly everybody understands
this except Mr. CLEVELAND himself and no
body understands it better than Col.
LAMONT. His own future fame as the
creator and manager of an historical person
age of broad dimensions is now involved in
the task of getting his large friend success
fully through the next twenty-five months
without any irremediable break, and then
landing him intact in dignified retirement.
Col. LAMONT has no conceivable motive for
assisting to wind up Mr.. CLEvELAND's
public career with an inglorious and
ridiculous attempt to grab an honor which
WASHINGTON refused, and which has been
within the reach of no President since
WASHINGTON. 1t would be as If a sculptor
should deliberately smash his own master
piece when it was nearly completed and al
most ready for exhibition.
Clearly, it is not DAN LAMONT And yet
somebody is now industriously at work
sowing In fertile Cuckoo soil the secd-thought
that the financial emergency and the pres
ervation OF our credit in Europe may justify
a departure next year from the no-third-
term principle and compel the nomination
of the Hon. GROVER CLEVELAND as the only
American statesman able to handle the
emergency and keep us right in the credit
books OF the European bankers!
II it is not Col. LAMONT, who is its We
cannot say that the correspondent OF the
Philadelphia Press has fully answered this
question. The result of his Investigations
up to date seems to be that the fountain
head of third-term sentiment is in "a small
group in the New York Reform Club" He
names no names. There is some Dlausibiity
in this idea, for much that has been mis-
chievous in Mr.. .CLEvELAND's S political leader
ship came from that quarter. Not little that
has been disastrous to Democracy has orig
mated in n small group in Tie Ncw York
Reform Club. If any circle or syndicate of
powerful thinkers is capable of evolving The
idea that the future of American institutions
depends upon the continued presence of Mr..
CLEVELAND in the Executive Mansion, this
small group in the New York Reform Club"
is up to the job But every circle has cen
tire, every group nucleus. Supposing that
the small group in the Reform Club is, in
fact, working thrd-term sentiment for the
benefit OF Mr.. CLEyELAND's unappeased
ambition who is working the small group?
Can it 30 the Hon. CHARLES S. FAIRCHILp ? |