The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-05
DEMOCRACY'S JONAH.
Wellman in the Times Herald.

Wellman in the Times Herald.
The Jonah of the Democratic party is
Grover Cleveland. Perhaps history Will
be searched in vain for another such rec
ord of political failure. regarded from
the party standpoint, as that which Mr..
Cleveland Is scoring. AS a president ne
has been strong in devotion to his duties
and ideals and has won the confidence OF
large masses of the people. But as
party leader his career has been one OF
blunder and fatality. During his first
term he made 1t impossible for his party
to re-elect him. During his second term
he has not only made It impossible FOR
Democracy to re-elect him or any other
Democrat, but he has driven the party
upon the rocks of rebellion and revolu-
tion. He will lay down his stewardship
with his party in confusion, defeat and
dishonor. The humiliating part Of 1t 10
Mr.. Cleveland must be that the Democra-
cy refuses to adhere to his teachings and
insists upon getting just as far as possi-
BILE from the doctrines which he has en-
deavored to commit them to. The anger
ing part of 1t Is that this result Is in large
part due to the mistakes, to the willful-
ness, to the pettiness, to the stubborn con-
ceit and the revengefulness Of Mr.. Clevc-
land himself.
According to the present outlook. Ohio is
going to desert the administrations stand
ard and declare for free silver. This is AN
unnatural thing for the Democracy Of
Ohio to do. Men who are familiar with
party sentiment In that state say ONO
Is not for silver neither in one party nor
in the other The Buckeye state would
not be on the highway toward silverism
If Mr.. Cleveland had been content to take
a more reasonable view Of certain petty
matters of patronage, and had been able
to curb little of his prejudices and pas
sions. AS the case now stands, 1t Is not at
all improbable that Ohios wandering after
the silver goddess will take the Demo-
cratic party from its moorings and form
a new epoch in American politics, all
growing opt of the trivial incident of
President Cleveland's interference In the
appointment Of deputy postmaster at
Cincinnati.
Lew Bernard is now the Democratic boss
of Cincinnati. as he has been for many
was appointed postmaster he wanted to
| make Bernard his deputy. He made the
appointment, as far as he could, but
when the matter reached the postofilce
department It was held up by order Of
| President Cleveland. 1t Is said this was
! the first case on record where president
! had interfered in the appointment of a
| deputy postmaster. The matter drifted
along for some time, until Senator Brice,
accompanied by all the Democratic con-
gressmen from Ohio, went to the white
| house and urged the president to permit
| the appointment of Mr.. Bernard to be per-
| fected. Attorney General Harmon, who
| had been associated in politics with Ber-
nard, also begged Mr., Cleveland to do
| this and his appeal was seconded by Sec
| reta,y Carlisle. who also knew Bernard.
| and by Postmaster General Wilson. But
| President Cleveland, stubborn as usual,
| refused to change his mind. Bernard
| was tur~ed down against the advice of
every one who knew anything about Ohio
| politics, and contrary to all Drecedents in
| such cases.
| And what has been the result? Simply
| that Mr.. Bernard, who is not free silver
| man by conviction, has Joined forces with
the silver crowd in the Buckeye state
purely out of revenge. and is about to
| throw Hamilton county to the l6 to / out
| 1T. The certainty that Bernard will 10
| this has caused Senator Brice virtually
| to give IN the fight in his state. where
| Bernard has made an alliance with Nc
| Lean and Bookw alter. AS Cincinnati goes
| so the state will so. and for this one act
| of petty revenge Mr.. Cleveland may have
to stand by and see his party led into the
| free silver camp. Bernard is not a man
of the highest character, to be sure, nor
| yet of the lowest. Yet he is a typical
| politician. But 1t was not on account of
his character or reputation that thet graa;
president of the United States interfered
and prevented him becoming deputy post.
master at Cincinnati. Bernard's offense
was that he voted against the nomina,
| ton of Mr. Cleveland at Chicago four
| years ago.