The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1896-06-20
PRESIDENTS As LEADERS.

some leaders IN tne QernocrdtSC
party, residing east of the Mississippi
river, have faith in the power OF
President Cleveland to control the
Chicago convention; that is, they be.
lieye he can route the silver men. and
thus be able to dictate the financial
policy of the convention. While the
president has a powerful influence
with the eastern democrats. who agree
with him on the money question, his
influence does not extend to the West
in a degree that he would hope to die.
tate to the policy of the convention
and break down the silver sentiment
that is sure to prevail. While Mr..
Cleveland has been a leading factor
in the three past campaigns in formu-
lating the policy uf the democratic
party, it Is not probable that his power
will be felt at Chicago next month.
Besides it is contrary to precedent for
retiring president to lay down the
rules for his party in the campaign
following his term of Office, and Mr..
Cleveland will not prove an exception.
Few presidents have been real party
leaders. General jackson aud Abra-
ham Lincoln were the mos. prominent
as a party leader of any of the
presidents.
No President was prominently
identified with so many and such
various issues and policies and partici.
pated in SO many exciting personal
contests as Jackson, and he was almost
uniformally successful in all his en-.
deavors. The only contest in which
he was beaten was that which he
waged to secure social recognition for
"Peggie" O'Neill, the wife of his friend
and secretary of war, John b. Eaton.
He overthrow the United States bank,
put down notification, or at least
voiced the spirit which induced it to
take advantage of Clay's compromise
tariff to retreat before it provoked ex-
made Calhoun local figure,
and put Clay and all his other foes in
the dust. Some of the historians
deny to Jackson the qualities of pol.
ltlcai leadership, but he had:
IN an eminent degree the faculty of
making politics prevau. mo other
president ever impressed his person
y ~ powerfully on politics as did
Andrew Jackson.
Preeident Lincoln was an adroit
party leader and prior to his first
elcetfou, dictated TO the policy OF his
party bus his delay in attaching slavery
turned tie radical element of his party
agafnst him, and even after the
emancipation proclamation was issued
a faction nominated John C. Fremont,
against him in 1894. Fremont. how
ever withdrew before the end of the
canvass and Lincoln received all. the
republican and most of the war demo
cratic votes. A majority of Lincoln's
party was against him on the state
restoration policy, but there is a possi-
oility that if he had lived some COM
non ground for himself and the re-
publican party would have been
.eached.
But the conditions now are not |
'imilar to those that existed in Jack |
'on's and Lincoln's time, nor is Cleve-
and situated as they were. BE is con.
ronted with q strong opposition in |
iis own party in majority Of the
tates, therefore his influence will be |
United. Were he to attempt to die
ate to the policy of the coming
lational convention he would meet
nth rebuff and his counsel would be
leeded no more than that of the
.umblest citizen. Cleveland has for
welve years been strong party
eader, but he has lost his prestige,
nc, his influence will not be felt at
,hicago,