The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-24
What Arc the National Demo-
Gratis" For2


crats" For2
When the National Democrats have fully
digested this repetition OF certain facts OF
history by our contemporary, the Courier
Journal, they will understand better thai
they do now their relation to the politics
Of the United States:
"In 1893 Mr.. wArTERsoS opposed the nomination
Of Mr.. CLEVELAND upon two grounds; frst, that, ow.
ing TO the division In the state Of New York, his cleo
ton was seriously menac d. II not in advance made
abortive; and. second. that Mr.. CLEVELAND was not
safe or sound on tho issue of revenue reform. In this
opinion he was supported by the best Judgment Of
Tire hest men In the party, who were In o positon TO
know the roal facts OF the case.
"From the date OF his message OF 1897. Mr.. OLIVE
LAxp took fright at the issue therein raised. Within
esn days after no sent It 70 Congress he became so
greatly alarmed that he caused an Interview to be
prepared completely emssculatins It. It was with
q nncuity that he was induced TO withhold the publt
cation Of this interview. Mr.. CLEvELANp s'nt Mr..
0oRMAN to st. Louis In 1891 with q cut n d.drted
platform, ignoring his message Of 1887. ignoring
che Mills bill. then before Congress-. and repeating
the straddle of 1894.
Compelled by the act OF the st. Louis Convention
20 abide by his message Of 1897 and to stand on the
platform be hal made for hims II, he sent q cut.a'd.
dried tariff plank to Chi ago in 1899. which en-
bodied excellent protcctionist doctrine. Though r'p-
resented in that convention by seven members OF his
Cabinet, three of whom. BArARp. Villas. and DICKINSON.
were memb. rs Of the Platform Committee which
reported the obnoxious plank. the convention threw
II out and substituted one OF its own.
alt 10 true that Mr.. CLEVELAND W as elected. and that
which did It was the Homestead riots. transferring
the operative vote of the great centres Of population
Ell masse from tho Republican party to the Demo
cratic party.
But, reinducted to the Presidency. what did the
party get for Its victory except a tariff act VIGOROUSLY
Insufficient and redole' : " scand Il. and-this latter
II Fge,y owing to Mr.. CLEvELASD's refusal to Get out
Of the way in 1890 and allow some one to lead the
sound. money forcrs when there wa a chance to stay
the tree-siiver tt "a hopeless. helpless minority in
the Chicago Convention OF 1895?
These are simple facts of history
The mystery of the Cleveland interview
to which Mr.. WATTERsoN here refers, as he
has frequently referred before, repudiating
the message of 1887, on the strength Of
which Mr.. ~CLEvELAND's reputation has
fiourished mainly, has never been explained.
Possibly it will remain a mystery. II 1t was,
in fact, the recantation of the message which
Mr.. WATTERsoN says it was, it was but
one of five denials Of the once Democratic
principle that the tariff shall be for
revenue only, all equally pusillanimous
and dcceitful when placed by the side Of
Mr.. CLEvELAND's direct utterances. but two
of them incomparably more contemplate
than the others in that they were treachery
to political pledges.
The platform offered by Mr.. CLEVELAND
to the Democratic party in 1888 was not
his tariff message. The platform that he
again offered in 1902 was quare protec-
tion. But his speech accepting the nomipa-
ton in 1892 was a deliberate evasion of the
party tariff plank. And the tariff bill
which later came from him to Congress was
a square betrayal of it. To the last, also, he
was a coward and refused, with the usual
~high-sounding protestations of virtue in
himself and "perfdy and dishonor" in 9th.
ers. either to sign or veto the bill standing
In the name Of the Democratic party.
Time only can provo to us the extent Of
national misfortune 1t was when a candi.
date for President could be elected holding
aloft. as CLEVELAND held in shamelessness,
the Homestead torch and dagger. Time
also will finally show to all, except the
hopeless Cuckoo maniacs, how the blight
of a free-silver campaign was the result OF
C~LEvELAND's ambition for a third term.
But when we look at the last two Presiden.
tial elections together, we see, happily, that
the frenzied socialistic spirit of the coun.
try eliminated for CLEVELAND in 1892.
Four years later, under BRYAN, it failed.
Except under circumstances wholly unfore.
seen, 1t cannot expect to sui coed In 1900.
We advise the National Democrats, claim.
ants of the original Democratic ark, to pom
der on Col. WATTERsoN's simple but undenI,
able statements quoted above, since In con,
tinuing to endorse" the Administration OF
GROVER CLEVELAND. income tax, protec
tionlsm, third termism, and all. or In re-
affirming the indianapolis platform, which
includes such ar Endorsement, the National
Democrats continue in politics either as ar
organization absolutely without principles
or as treacherous to those they profess, a.
irreco ncilable with the Ideas upon which
THOMAS JEFFERSON built up the Demo
cratic party, and as inlmical to the political
health and traditions Of the United States
Is GROVER CLEVELAND himself.