The age-herald., 1900-12-27
GENERAL EFFECT OF
 CLEVELAND'S ARTICLE


 Washington, Dec. 2s.-(special. .)-Ex-Presi- dent Clevelands article in the Saturday Evening Post on ''The Future of Democ- racy'' has naturally attracted considerable attention in Washington. As the only Dem- oerat who has been elected to the Presi- dency since the civil war, notwithstanding his unpopularity with the Democracy, MT. Clevelanfs views are listened to with in- terest and with respect by some of his enemies. It cannot be said that the average Democrat or Senator believes that Mr. Cleveland can do anything to advance the prospects of the Democracy, and the con- ciusion drawn by almost every Democrat and by many Republicans as well is that MT. Cleveland thinks that the only way to bring success to the Democracy is by nomi- hating him fourth time for the Presidency. But no practical politician, even if he may admire MT. Cleveland, believes that he could be elected to the Presidency for third term, no matter how strong his platform might be. The unpopularity of the third term idea and the fear of establishing 8 precedent that President can serve for twelve years would make his defeat abso- lutely certain, just as it would insure that of the Republicans in 1904 If William Mcxin- ley were to be renomnated.
 But aside from the unpopularity of the third term idea, which received it's death blow when General Grant was defeated for a nomination for third term, despite the devotion of his followers, MT. Cleveland could not command enough votes in Dem oeratfc convention to make his nomination a possibility. The majority of Democrats, and this includes many men who have not regarded William Jennings Bryan as a Dem- ocrat and who have either opposed him given him purely perfuctory support, be- lieve that MT. Clevelands determination to have his own way and his general auto- cratic conduct during his second term seri- ously hurt his party
 Then, too, he did not support the regular Democratic ticket in 1896 and in 1900, and in consequence he is considered to have been unfaithful to the party. In this con- nection it is to be said that no Democrat who did not support Bryan each time he ran has any show of being nominated in 1904, no matter what changes may be made In the Democratic platform This Is not only because Mir. Bryan's friends, at pres- ent, control the Democratic national, State and county organizations throughout the country, but because the rank and file of the Democracy think unfavorably of any one who has not stood Loyalty by the party.
 Mir. Cleveland's advice to the party may have some influence, probably 1t will. but If the party Is to be reorganized, that re- organization must come from within the party as at present constituted and not from men now outside of the breastworks. This much is evident from the attitude of leading Democrats throughout the country. That there will be any deliberate and care full reorganization of the party is not in the least likely. It wilicome gradually and the trend of events during the next three years will have the most important effect upon the policy of the party in the cam- paign of 1904 Until the second Mckinley .s..s., Ks,-.. sC 11a difficult, if not impossible, to make any forecast as to the attitude of the party in 1904. Conjecture now and the suggestions of leading Democrats and ex-Democrats; while interesting are subject to change and comparatively unimpogtant Th1s seems to be the consensus of Democratic opinion and most Republicans hold the same view.