New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-27
CLEVELAND OPPOSING ANNEXATION.

II woud indeed be Il curious ovcrturnlng I'D
nolltics if the Democratic party should come TO
bc led by cx-Presdcnt Cleveland in the next
campagn. and on the platform of resistance TO
territorial expansion There are some men OF
importance who evidently have that idea Ter
hans If would not be beyond reason TO infer,
from the peculiar tone and phrdscol"GN "l VII.
CIevcland's latest address. that ne himself had
in mind that contingency and thought II nope
FIJI opportunity for him. 1t is hard 10 compre'
bend how anybody can cherish that notion Du'
Mr. cleveland has been famous for expecting
things which nobody else expected, ana WHICH,
did not usually come 10 pass. 1t has been pc
culiarly his habit Of mind 10 plan ana 10 a''
with Indifference to the opinions OF his own
party. without which he could accomplish nom
ING. His latest outglving seems to be another
performance Of the SAM sort.
Throughout all It's history the Democratic
party has leaned strongly toward territorial az
uuiSitiUn II has always glnr'd I'D I'D" h'p"l
sition Of Louisiana Territory 10y Jrnrr>"l' III
1SO3 more than doubling the original area oi
the United States and of the Florida Territory
bv Madison under acts passed In secret session
in ISL Fer many years II boastcd ihal Inc
ACQUISITION of Texas was its work. in >lte "i
bitter opposition 10y lis adversaricS. calhoun
hclnp Secretary Of State in 1910. The war WIN
Mexico was in fact. earnestly opposed 10y man!
nj ,h, East and the Democratic party Naunt"d
ITSELF much - II ia" victory had been achieved
hv Democrats only. resulting in the McNicAi
,,...siuu of 1AlS when Polk was President The
Alaska purchase 10y Secretary Seward is '"r
only ?ddition 20 the territory o. Vine n,i"I
States for which the Democratic parry hh' no.
claimed exclusive credit. and il = al least true
that with Great una limlty and zeal II favored
all other steps of that nature.
Rutit is equally true that Democratic alminis-
tratlons have earnestly sought the acquisition
Of cuba and the Hawaiian Islands Nothing
tina, President Cleveland ever did made for MN
more nnpOpularty with a large portion oi lbs
p1rtv than the hauling down of th" American
Tag ON ID" islands. while hls strong demands re-
earling the termination OF trouble IN cuba ere
atcd for the present Administration ''aic "l
things from which if would have been difficult
10 withdraw. if i had desired. and these tie
nands were unitcdly approved by Democrats III
the belief that they pointed. not toward indr-
pcndcnce. bur toward annexation. II was
claimed 10 The end by Mr.. Clcvcands friends
thot his reelection would add The Van of th"
Antilles 10 the Union. and that he intended n
time 10 secure the addition Oi the lIawhilah Isl
ands al>O in what he considered proper way.
- is n curious but not N MI an unprecedented
performance by Mr. Cleveland this sudden re-
vcrsal Of the traditional policy Of his own party
for nearly century.
II doc not follow 10y any means that IN"
Democratic party may not De induced 10 nomi-
uaiA q man who makes war on all lis iradl-
lions and lis history II did r"nominatc the
same Mr. Cleveland. knowing that his OH"
chance of election came from his hostility 10 III"
wishes Of the Democratic party regarding sll-
yer When IN election approaches. If IA" pn'>-
lion IS still open whether this or that territory
shall he taken and held hy The mon. il would
be lust like the Democratic party 10 rely on lis
traditional policy In al the States where terri
torial ACQUISITION is favored. and to set mp Il
candidate in the hope Of gaining through his
hostile declaration, some support IN the states
where that policy Is not favored That sort 81
facing both ways succeeded In lS92: why not
again? But the whole question Is not unlikely
10 bc settled before the Presidential campaign
OF 1900 arrives. or placed in such position for
spccdy settlement that hostility 10 the course
propoecd will have practically disappeared.