The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-04-30
STUDY CLEyELAND's SPEECH.
It's AIIsStatsmsntS, ArrOEanos and AbSHr'l
~ Astounding.

~ Astounding.
Washington Post (lnd.) IN proportion
as SIR. cleveland's speech at the Re
form Club dinner Is carefully studied,
Its arrogance and absurdlly becomes
apparent. Mr.. Cleveland arralgns the
Republican party for returning TO the
errors and Vices OF protection; speaks
OF Il as determined ITO repay partisan
support from the increased burdens OF
taxation placed upon those already oy-
erlRden." and generally denounces II as
being In some mysterious way false 20
certain vaguely suggested obligations.
We can Imagine nothing more imper-
tlnent and unwarranted-not even his
assertion that the fate OF the nation
Wdvered In the balance during the
camplign OF 1896 and was made secure
ny the patriotic action OF the boltlns
Democrats.
Mr. Cleveland seems to have lost the
facuity-lf he ever possessed lt-of see
ing any question except through the
lens OF his Owt cOncelt and vanity. He
seems to be Incapable OF recognizing
sincerity, intelligence, virtue, or cour-
age In any measure or any leadership
not inspired by himself Here we're two
candidates. Mckinley and Bryan. Bry-
hu IeGtANEl NtNNVtVNV NbkEH AlNNAAy =
million more than Cleveland himself
received In lS92--while Mckinley got 4
triue over 7.0O0.OOO: yet Mr., Cleveland
cOmplaceptlV Informs the assembled
Mugwumps at the Reform Club dinner
that the 10000 ballots cast by his fol-
lowers last November saved the coun-
try from ruin and dishonor! How did
they save the country? They did not
elect their candidates. Mr.. Mckinley be-
came President without their votes. or
does Mr. Cleveland by any possibility
refer to the gold Democrats who voted
directly for Mckinley as the savlors2
In that case, how does he know that
there were enough OF them 70 AFFECT the
result7 The Democratic party has never
shown strength enough to warrant any
such assumption. Mr.. Bryan brought
out at least 100000 more Democratic
votes than Mr. Cleveland ever did-on
what hypothesis does the latter assume
that there were still 600.0OO more scat
tered about over the country? Does
Mr. Cleveland admit that his candidacy
In 1899 kept 100000 Democrats away
from the polls We know that II kept 4
great many away. but was 1t as blight
ing as all that?
Then.Oglln, Mr.. Cleveland's reproach-
Is, directed against the Republican tar
III kollENs IlluhA slRpEhA ~ NNNhS s4Ntsfs
al human beings sense Of humor. What
Imaginable right had he to suppose that
the Republican leaders would change
thelr traditional policy? Certainly he
could not expect to influence a hostile
party when he could not influence his
own. Certainly he did not imagine that
the fruits OF the Wilson tariff act would
dissuade the new administration and
the new Congress from experimenting
on n different line. But Mr.. Cleveland
must have known that the Republican
party would return to the principles and
practices Of protection, and although
he. elected upon low tariff issue and
pledges to a reformation OF the tariff
abuses which he had persistently de-
nounced as rulnous, failed to hasten the
work OF salvation IN 1898. he might at
least have given Mr.. Mckinley credit
for more sincerity and consistency. Sure
L. no man not wrapped ua In his own
cOncelt would have expected the Repub-
licans 10 do less or more than they
have done, or imagined that his con-
domination OF them for doing II would
strike the country as other than ridlcu-
Ious. II may salve Mr.. Cieveland's po-
lItlcal conscience to persuade himself
that in aiding the election Of Mr. Nc
Kiulcy he expected different result.
but nobody above the intellectual level
Of a cuckoo can he made TO believe that
he had the smallest warrant for such
an expectation. II disappointment has
como to him, as he pretends. II has
come as the result Of his own colossal
vanity and infatuation-
We are disposed TO think that for
once In way Mr. Cleveland has deliN-
cred a speech which the American peo-
pIe can study with profit to themselves.
The more tina tutterance Is analysed and
understood. the better for the prospects
OF wholesome and Verile and stalwart
party issue in 1909-an issue In which
MuGwumpery and conservation and
groveliug idolatry will play no part
whatever.