The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-05-05

letters, addressed TO persons in every
part of the country; that posing as q
retired statesman and philosopher, and
playing upon the credulity OF the SIM
pie minded and easily fattered, he
Will leave no string untouched for
stimulating the activity Of the expect
ant; and day ard night this Reform
club, having in charge the circulation
OF Democratic literature, will be 81
lently, surely working to the one end
which be. snd they, have before them
bis nomination in 1900.
''It Mr.. Cleveland were possessed OF
the faculty fer couceiving any public
affair apart from his own interest
even if be had any real sense of per.
sonsl dignity-he would rid the great
questions at issue from the en- barrass
ment of presence which is not a
help, but hinderance. Instead Of
playing the part OF q philosopher and
statesman, while exhaustiDg every
artifce to regain the presidency. he
would perceive the grandeur Of being
such in point OF fact, and of enjoying
like a statesman and philosopher, the
repose of his old age and his honors,
but he would not be himself if he con-
sidered anything else than his own
desire and will. The executive office
represents both. He likes the power,
the emoluments and the employment.
He has talent for industry. He is
dominant and experienced.
TO him the Presidency has become.
what he indeed made it while he had
it-a personal affair, held regardless
of party obligations. Destitute Of
imagination and of sympathy, he
subjected everything and every body to
his un bounded and unQuenchable egot-
ism. this egotism indeed, became so sim
cere that he grew at last to believe that
he did sctuslly know something of the
questions Of his time and had some
policy other than the eradication OF
his love of power and display. 1t 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 with,
what lies across their path, and thar
they should begin to cast about them
how TO shake from their shoulders
this veritable Old Man of the Noun
tains. He is with Us only for what 1t
will bring him. Nothing could have
induced him TO appear II public ex-
cept to keep himself before the public,
and there is not a word uttered by
MIN to depreciate the idea of another
candidacy.
'.All his life an oficeseeker and an
oRcehoIder, he differs from the riff
raft of his class only by his high pre-
tensions and profound duplicity. He
hopes in the hurly-burly of affairs to
force himself upon the country as the
representative of clean politics and the
public order. He represents neither.
He represents only his own lust for
cfce. a great an noble principle
must not be thus desecrated. a pos
sible party rehabilitation Of the greatest
moment must not be obstructed by
such deaths head at the feast.
If MIR. Cleveland has not the wis.
dom to see his duty and the grace to step
down and out, he should be compelled
By the opinion of decent people 10 step
down and out, for the elimination Of
his ambitions is indispensable to any
progress IN the direction of reform,
which, while he stood as its official
chief, encounted nothing but ooloquy
and defeat. !"