The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-05-05
WATTERSON Is SAVAGE.
SAYS CLEVELAND is SCHEMiNG FOR A
THIRD TERM AS PRESIDENT.

What One of Cleveland's Allies in the
Late Presidential Election Thinks OF
Him Nova Fair Estimate of the Man.
Recently the Louisville Courier
Journal published the following caus
tic article from the pen of Henry
Watterson on Cleveland's speech IN
New York before the Reform Club:
"Forewarned is forearmed.
1.-THE first gun OF the battle of 1900
is fred somewhat early, but it was
fred by the Reform club of New York
last Saturday night. The reform
club is made uo exclusively OF the
personal followers of Mr.. Cleveland.
1t exists in point of fact to exploit the
fame ard to sdvance the interest OF
the ex President. The names OF Fair
child and Hornblower and Peckham
are sufficient guarantee that the
association has no other source OF In
spiration, nor any further point OF
destination.
"The dinner, an account of which
appeared yesterday, was given to
place Mr.. Cleveland IN the field as
candidate for President, and from
this time forward all the appliances
of small but energetic and intelli
gent machinery will be put forth to
make campaign of education and a
canvass for Mr.. Cleveland synony-
nous terms.
1T is a grievous feature of public
affairs that great ISSUES are so often
complicated by lesser issues, and that
the virus of private aim not infre-
ouentIy peroclates the veirs OF the
fairest policies.
CLEVELAND AND A THIRD TERM.
"By no possibility c.n Mr.. Cleve-
land affect the cause CT genuine re-
form except for i'll. He has had bis
day-a sad one for his psrty-apd
whatever contributions be made to The
cause of good government during
that day are upon the record and 60
to his credit. But his name in con-
nection with the Presidency can be
only a reproach, because, aside from
the contaminations and frictions 1t in
wolves, it carries with it the odlus
idea OF third term. antagonlzlng.
law unwritten, it is true, but deeply
imbedded in The popular mind and
heart.
"Mr. Cleveland can never again be
President OF the United States. Under
no circumstances ought he to be.
That he should contemplate another
candidacy affords stlopg evider ce OF a
lack in him of integrity and virtue
That club of satellites should con-
spire to place him again in nomina-
ton is not merely proof OF the treason
of its members to their country and to
the party to which they profess allie.
glance, but of degrading sacrifice OF
of patriotism and manhood. No par
ty which is worthy the popular conf
dence could or would put him in NOM
ination. Any party seriously con-
templating it would be consigned to
everlasting infamy. :,
1T was said not along ago and
very truly that Mr.. Cleveland would
be a candidate for President every
four years as long as he lived. The
circumstances of his life, in the alb
sence of any elevated principle OF cal
culation or unselish rule OF action,
bear him out in the belief that he is q
law unto himself, contradicting all
precedents He has impressed this be-
lief upon the group of persons who
Immediately surround him. They
ought to be good Christians, for they
seem to have been created for no 9th
purpose than to serve their creator;
and, if assidity and constancy be mer-
its, they are surely meritorious. But
they are short, sighted. Their notion
that Mr.. Cleveland is within himself
both party and a platform and that
he can command following
strong enough to win an election
against the socalled Democrats and
the so called Republicans, is an illu-
sion. If it could be realized the event
would then and there Mexicanize the
public administration for, once again
in power, like Diaz, Mr.: Cleveland
would find the means to continue in
power the residue of his natural life.
Better the Mexicanization of the cur
rency than the overthrow of liberty
would be the we'll nigh universal cry
of the nation, so that the very best
hope the free silverites can have is
the.candidacy of Mr.. Cleveland, fatal
ly dividing the elements of sound
economics and making a sure high
way for the forces of fiscal and other
adventures.
But there can be no reason to
doubt the fact that. Mr.. Cleveland is
the one man to be reckoned with by
those who seek to attain good govern
ment as distinguished from the opera
tion of rampant partylsm, swinging
the pendulum from one to the other
dizzy height of political excess. From
first to last this callous, self-seeking
man has been the cause, the sole
association of all our undoing.
TO 20 back no further than the
last internal Democratic conflict. If
six months before the nominating Pc
riod of 1896 Mr.. Cleveland had firmly
said: I will not be a candidate under
an circumstances, nor allow my name
to be used by any body the elements
of order in the party could get togeth-
er and united on some leader equal to
the task of meeting and beating the
extremists. But Mr.. Cleveland could
not be induced to make the slightest
sign. He was as silent as an oracle,
star ding the while exactly where the
lightning might be expected to strike.
Except for this paralyzing Carlisle,
Kentucky could not have held; Ken.
lucky gone, the rest followed like a