The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-04-27
ROANOKE VA, TUESDAY. APRIL 27, 1897

tious than ever he was; that his removal
to New Jersey was the first ndroit step in
his new plan of campaign; that every day
of his life in that fine, effeminate Italian
hond, he will write from two to fifty LETT
tiers, addressed to nersons in every part
Of the country; that, posing rs retired
statesman and philosopher, and playing
upon the credulity of the simple. minded
and easily flattered, he will leave no
string untouched for stimulating the ac-
tivity of the eXpectant; and that tlny 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 before
them-his nomination in 1900
If Mr.. Cleveland were possessed of the
faculty for conceiving any public affair
apart from his own interest-even if he
had any real sense of personal dignity-he
would rid the great question at issue from
the embarrassment of IL presence which If
not help, but menace. Instead of
playing the part of n philosopher and
statesman, while eXhausting every arti.
flee to regain tho Presidency, he would
perceive the grandeur of being. suck in
point of fact, and of enjoying, like a
statesman and philosopher. the repose
OF his honors and his years. But ne
would not be himself If he considered
anything else than his own desire and
will. The executive office represents both.
He likes the power, the emoluments, and
the employment. lie has talent for in.
dustry. He is dominant and experienced
To him the Presidency has become, what
indeed he made it while he had it, 4 per-
sonal affair, held regardless OF party otli-
cations. Destitute alike of imagination
and of sympathy, he subjected everything
and everybody to his unbounded and un-
quenchable cgotsm. This eyotism indeed
became so sincere thai he grew at last to
believing that he did actually know some
thing of the questions of his time, and
had some policy other than his love of
power and display.
cit is just as well that Democrats, who
seek the rehabilitation OF the party on
sound political lines of action and
thought, should know to begin on what
lies across their path, and that they
should begin to cast about them how to
shake from their shoulders this Old Man
OF the Mountains. He is with us only
for what it will bring him. All his life
an Office seeker and an oflice-holder, he
oil tiers from the ri e raft of his class only
in his ehigh pretensions and profound
hypocrisy. He hopes in the hurly- burlv
of affairs to force himself first upon the
party and then upon the country as the
representative of clean politics and the
public order. He repr esents neither. IIe
represents only his own lust for office.
a great and noble principle must not be
thus desecrated. A possible part, reha-
Utilization of the greatest moment must
hot be INSTRUCTED by such Deaths. head
ut the feast. If Mr.. Cleveland has not
the wisdom to see his duty and the grace
to get cut he should be put ont, for the
elimination of his ambitions is indispen-
sable to any progress in the direction of
reform, which, while he stood as it's Off.
cial chief, encountered nothing but oblo-
guy and dcfeat.''