New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-07-25
HR. CLEVELAND'S MESSAGE.
p&sioT

The NewYork correspondence of 1.-THE Phla-
delphia Press" declared positively yesterday
morning that ex-President Cleveland was op-
posed TO a third ticket, and thought that Demo
Gratis who could not support Mckinley and
would not support Bryan should refrain from
voting. Yesterday afternoon, In reply to a dis
patch from THE Evening Post asking if he
had advised Democrats to support Mckinley
Gin this campaign and not put up a third
ticket because Organism is the issue" Mr.
Cleveland telegraphed from Gray Gables: az
have advised nothing Of the kind. except
may have expressed doubts as to the wisdom
''of a third ticket" Mr.. Cleveland's dispatch is
cautious, and perhaps not quite consistent
throughout, but its meaning, which we desire
to denote with perfect fairness, seems to be
that Mr.. Cleveland actually has expressed
doubts TO the wisdom of a third ticket Going
a step further, we suppose he intends by this
acknowledgment to signify not that to his mind
the question has two sides which are as yet
evenly balanced, but that he thinks it would be
unwise to nominate a third ticket. He has
chosen indirect form of words but It is a
form commonly employed to express positive
opinion, and such an Interpretation will be gen
orally put upon It. Mr. Cleveland has evidently
not desired to be publicly represented as giving
advice to Democrats opposed to Organism but
they are likely nevertheless, to regard this dis
patch as his advice, and. though it was In
formally and perhaps unwillngly offered, to
accept it the most important utterance on
the subject thus far published.
If Mr.. Cleveland is opposed to third ticket
the reason for his opposition must be a belief
that third ticket would draw votes which
otherwise would be cast for McKinley-that is
to say, would be helpful 20 Bryan. -Four years
- E. -
some extent sincerely, that the nomination of
Palmer and Buckner was of advantage to the
cause of sound money and public order, mas
much IL would secure the votes of many
Democrats who would vote for Bryan If there
were no other Democratic ticket in the field
Such calculations are precarious and can never
be verified, but II was perfectly evident in 1896
that vote for Palmer and Buckner was only
half vote against Organism, and that consider
alton undoubtedly controlled the final action of
a great number of Gold Democrats. The truth
is quite clear In this campaign it was In
that, and there is not much evidence to show
that many Democrats who saw clearly then are
now blinded or confused by the Introduction of
"anti-imperialism" as the paramount issue. As
we remarked yesterday the present advocates
Of third ticket have not succeeded in averting
the suspicion that they are chiefly actuated by
an inveterate hostility TO the President, and
deep seated prejudice is not an argument
which appeals to honest and patriotic men. II
could not have been expected to command the
approval Of Mr. Cleveland, but 1t is n satisfac-
ton to be justified in concluding that neither is
he among the number Of those who may be
consciendously mistaken 10 the path of duty
Whether or not he thought of the circum-
stance Mr. Cl4veland's statement comes at
an interesting moment The conference OF Gold
Democrats and undergraduates, to which the
third ticket advocates have been anxiously look