Evening star., 1895-05-28

The National Convention which will
nominate the democratic candidate for
presidential honors in the next campaign
will not meet until more than a year hen ce,
yet there are already in existence semi
official announcements that President
Cleveland Is a candidate for a fourth no.ni-
nation ard a third term as President. In
yesterdays issue of The Star one of Pres.-
dent Cleveland's official subordinates ex-
pressed himself as being satisfied that the
President was in the field to capture
honors such as have never yet been given
to even the most distinguished Of Ameri-
cans. After discussing briefly his reasons
for believing that the President mas set
his heart upon another term in the White
House. this official says: Il do not think
that prior to the meeting of the demo-
cratic national convention any one Will
be able TO produce letter from President
Cleveland in which he viii state that he is
not a candidate for the denomination
In that sentence there is an indirect ac-
cusation. In times past President Cleve-
land has never hesitated to make known
his desires. and when he wanted anything
he has generally gone after 1t in a straight
forward. open and above-board fashion
that has d:sarmed the trainers of innuendo.
In his letter accepting the nomination IN
1884. Mr.. Cleveland-after discussing some
of those things which. in his opinion, ere
necessary to real government by the peo-
ple-sa:d:
And Of the means to this end not cne
would, in my judgment, he more effective
than an amendment to the Constitution
disqualifying tho President from re-elec-
tion. When we consider the patro la;se of
this great Office, the a,iurements of power.
the temptations to retain public place once
gained, and. more than all, the availability
party finds in an incumbent whom
horde of otfice-holders, with a zeal born
of benefits received and fostered by the
hope of favorS yet to come stand really to
aid with money and trained political serv-
ice, we recognize In the eligibility of the
President for reelection a most serious
danger to that calm. deliberate, and in
telligent political action which must char
acterize a government by the people,"
To be sure, President Cleveland did per-
NIT himself to become his party's nominee
four years later. and again, after ar
other interval of four years. he allowed
some of those in whose bosoms was the
zeal born of benefits received and fostered
by the hope of fayors yet to come to make
him once more the party's standard bearer,
but there is no evidence in the possession
of the public to show that Mr.. Cleveland
hid himself behind screen while these
things were being done. Mr.. Cleveland is
on record as being fatty opposed to le
nominations, yet when the democratic
party notified him that he was the only
available man, he cheerfully laid aside his
clesrly-expressed principles and marched
calmly, first to defeat and more recently
to victory. If 1t shall appear to the Presi-
dent that there Is still paucity of demo-
cratic presidential timber, he may once
more write letter of acceptance. But no
matter what happens he will surely make
no attempt to conceal his views on a mat
ter Of SO much Importance both to him
self and the country. 1t Is therefore un-
fair to suggest that Mr.. Cleveland is even
row on a still hunt for the nomination.