New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-06
THE PRESIDENTS IDEAS OF THE WEST.

Mr. Cleveland's speeches are not, as RUE.
remarkable for point. They consist chiefly OF
clumsy rumblings and distressing repetitions'
and they amount. duly Analysed, to laboriously
embroidered plattudes. He can write four COL
umns or utter seven or eight thousand words
about finance or the tariff without leaving upon
rational human beings mind any impression
save that he the human being, Is an ignorant
and sinful person, and that he, MI CieVeianu'
knows all about 1t II he would only condcscend
to tell But Mr.. Cleveland, on the occasion VI
his address at Carnegie Hall last Tuesday even
ing. managed to say something defnite-thougn
we are willing to believe that he did not lhtenu
it-and the result Is that he Is now caiied upon
for explanations which he will hnd himsel Ut
serious loss to make. The people OF the ne"
States of the West and Northwest do not take
kindly at all to his mention OF their part OF the
country rs being especially In need OF CHRISTIAN
,z,ng and ciyilizing minlstratiOns, and they are
already asking in somewhat urgent fasnloh what
Mr.. Cleveland knows about these regions tha'
he should set them before the Sums or new
York and Buffalo as objects OF moral ana re-
ligious solicitude No doubt Mr.. Cleveland
imagined he was rounding an impressive ana
sonorous period when he said:
No one charged with the duties and RESPONSE
bilities which necessarily weigh upon your Cnlei
Executive can fail to appreciate the importance
Of religious teaching ana Chris'i IAN vast DO
main 1t Is there where hot and stubborn war
fare between the forces Of good and EVIL Is con,
stantly invited. In these days tne va"sa aa,er
OF occupation In n new settlement Is never
without Its vicious and criminal element. Jam
bling houses and dram shops are Irequen.Is
among the first establishments In new corn,
- aIo ho
from old homes and associations TO new anu
more primitive home has tendency amohs
honest ana respectable settlers to smothe,
scrupies and to breed liberation OF evils anu
Indifference 10 Chrstanzlng and eevatlng
agencies.
In all human probability It never occurred to
him that he was uttering an absurd and OF
fensive SANDER against communities which for
general intelligence morality. patriotism and
honest Industry may favorably compare with
most of the older cities Of this and other CONT
nents. The fact remains. however, that out OF
his abundant Ignorance Of the West and North
west he has been talking nonsense as rank as
II IL Injurious and irritating. II he does not
know that the criminal and degraded classes OF
our great Eastern cities are hundred to one In
number as compared with the same classes IN
Montana. Dakota or Wyoming, 1t Is his fault
alone. II he said those things merely Tor the
purpose ~ turning few solemn and rever0erat-
Ing phrases the fact proves simply that he ought
TO wear a muzzle when he leaves the house.
The people and communities who have thus
been wantonly slandered will not, we fancy, be
slow TO resent the affront that has been put upon
them. They are justified In complaining. ana
are not likely to sleep upon their grievance But
what melancholy spectacle 1t Is, this spectacle
Of the President Of the United States addressing
an educated and wcll-informed audience ana
speaking of the people Of vast ana spehdiu
section ~ the country people who are builders
and sewers, the creators Of civilization, the
pioneers Of enlightened progress and develop
mcnt-s speaking OF such people as sodden humans
and neglected outlaws who need the rescue
work Of moral and religious missionaries.