The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-28
Helped by Cleveland's Censure.


The cheek Of Grover Cleveland in as
serting, ere two months Of his success
or's term in office have expired, tnat the
Mckinley administration will be a fail
ure and that the country must turn
again to him for guidance If it would
be prosperous once more--for such was
the meaning between the lires-gans
for him general contempt. Even the
Mugwump clack, usually so quick to
pipe to his treble, is by no means hilar-
ious in its applause of the Reform club
speech. AS for the regular Democrats,
the men who supported Bryan, their
opinion is we'll expressed by Senator
German, who replied to an inquiry
touching what he thought of Mr.. Cleve-
lands address by whistling "Hark from
the Tomb Doleful Sound"
And now comes the slashing Waiter
son with a column ripper for the
stuffed prophet. He interprets the
Cleveland speech as the first gun in a
battle for the Democratic presidential
nomination in 1900; but he says: "Mr.
Cleveland can never again be presi-
dent of the United States. Under no
conceivable circumstances ought he to
be. That he should contemplate an
other candidacy affords strong evil
dence of lack in him of integrity and
virtue. That a club of satellites should
conspire to place him again in nomi-
nation is not merely proof of the trea-
son of its members to their country and
to the party to which they profess al
legiance, but of degrading sacrifice
OF patriotism and manhood"
Nevertheless, the identification of Mr..
Cleveland with the sound money De-
mocracy as its self-appointed leader
and chief aspirant for future honors
causes the gallant Kentuckian great
uneasiness. "It," says he, "is discour-
aging to the friends of reform in the
south and west that thus prematurely
the movement for honest politics end
sound money should be freighted down
by a name which is potent only for
evil, But it is still more discOuraging
to reflect that the man behind this
name is as indefatigable as he is mis-
chievous; that he is very much richer
than ever he was, and much more am
bilious than ever he was; that his re-
mOval to New Jersey was the first ad-
roit step in his new plan of campaign;
that every day of his life in that fine,
effemnate Italian hand, he will write
from two to fifty letters, addressed to
persons in every part of the country;
that, posing as a retired statesman and
philosopher, and playing upon the Gre
dulity of the simple minded and easily
flattered, he will leave no string un-
touched for stimulating the activity of
the eXpectant; and that day and night
the Reform club, having in charge the
circulation of Democratic literature,
will be silently, surely working to the
one end, which he and they have be-
fore them-his nomination in 1900"
Colonel Watterson calls upon the real
friends of the true Democracy to ignore
or suppress Grover Cleveland, but how
can they do it? He has in subordina-
tion to his will the brains of the sound
money Democracy. No other man in
its ranks eXerts half his personal in
fiuence. No one sharing his ideas can
successfully compete with him for the
honor Of leadership. on the other hand,
with him at the head of one faction,
Bryan gains in strength vastly as the
leader Of the opposing column. 1t needs
Grover Cleveland in precisely his pres
ent attitude to keep the Democratic
party discovered and therefore harm
less, For this reason, Republicans can
afford to let the egotist Of Princeton
rail at his successor in office, for by
thatvery act he adds to the certainty
Of McKinley's reelection.