Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1895-08-09
Self Dedicated. .

We are indebted to the long mem
org ofthe Springfield Republican for
the following noble passage from a
certain campaign speech delivered
by the Democratic candidate for
President in 1884
"There should be no mistake this time
concerning the meaning of the contest The
struggle is to break down the barriers be-
tween the plain people of the nation and the
administration of the Government. The
question 10 be Determined is whether the
people may change their public servants,
or whether, while they iondly hope they
have a representative Government, they are
bound and held captive by those who
make politics an occupation and hold pub
/ lie places as a profitable business. This
Government was made for the people, but
| if they must select the agents who shall
have its administration in charge from a
self dedicated and self-c0nStituted class, It
is mockery to call this government by
the people"
This is probably taken from a con-
temporary report of what Mr.. Cleve-
land actually said at Bridgeport,
Conn, on October 80, 1884. We OBJ
serve that as the speech appears on
page 300 of "The Writings and
Speeches of Grover Cleveland" the
language is somewhat modified, al
though the main ideas are the same
AT that time Mr.. Cleveland was a
politician trying to turn somebody
else out of office and to get himself
in. As in his celebrated letter of
acceptance, written a few months
earlier, he was very much exasperated
at the influence which an administra-
ton intrencbed in office can exert in
National politics. He saw in the
pernicious activity of the oflicehold-
ers a serious danger to the republic.
That activity and that dangerous in
huence we're then being exerted
against him.
Since then however, Mr. Cleveland
himself has become selfdedicated,
yes, even selfconsecrated, to office;
although, as every Mugwump will
understand, not at all in the sordid /
and vulgar and selfish sense in which |
he applied the term to the Republi- |
can ofilceholders in 1884. Heis self |
dedicated because the country needs |
him, not because he needs office.
1t is unnecessary to emphasize the
distinction.
Yet we find that outspoken Dem
ocratic, newspaper, the Cincinnati
Enquirer describing Mr.. Cleveland's
present use of the power of the adj
ministration in language as severe
as that which Mr.. Cleveland en-
ployed respecting the wickedly self
dedicated and not truly conseerated
Republican horde OF 1884. Our types
almost blush to convey the SANDER
GUS allegations, even for the purpose
of rebuke:
THE President can take away the last
slice Of bread and butter from any man
who gets his pay from the Government,
and he plainly indicates that he will do so
if he does not further his political views
The President is sure of the slaViSh service
of the men in Government employ who
can be controlled at all, and he is sure of
his power to remove all who refuse to be
The consequence is that at this
very hour the whole official machine is I
working as restleSslY as the tides to ena
bic Mr.. Cleveland absolutely to control the
next National Democratic Convention. }
Those who believe that, having such con- I
rOl, he would refuse the nomination again Z
are candidates for the wiles of the bunco
iteerer' OF course he intends to extend
lis term tor another four years 1t would t
,e less offensive for him to do this than r.
0 yoke the Democratic party up like cat 4
lie to the support of some person selected L
" him, Never was there a thinner dis
,uiSe than the one under which he now [
7asquerades of seeking the election of del. Il
gales 10 lie sscSt Rational Convention h
Who will be tor honest money What he
wants is delegates for Grover Cleveland y y
The key to much that is appar d
ntly inconsistent in Mr.. Cleveland's d
areer is found in the fact that his I
differs from the self a
dedication of other statesmen. They a
Iedicate themselves because they are c
eltish ambitious men, intriguing for
lower and grasPing for self He Il
edicates himself solely in response c
o a popular demand. His whole ca Il
eer is one continuous response to ii
be calls of duty. tc
Why, he once said in a campaign 4
peech at Newark N. j. ~ am here y y
, visit the county and State where NJ
was born in response to the invita- b,
on of many political friends" Even 2,
! the matter of his birth, this ex, SC
man responded to gen d
raj political demand.-N Y Sun. 6.