Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-01-24
Mr.. CLEVELAND TALKING.
Richmond News, Dem.

Richmond News, Dem.
We wonder if our old friend Grover
Cleveland is trying to line himself up for
the presidential race of 1904? 1t really
begins to look that way. When a states
man becomes prolific of opinions and To-
quacious at banquets and such like there
is always cause for suspicion. MIR. Cleve-
land has already broken one record by be-
ing elected President after serving one
term and enduring defeat. 1t is entirely
possible that be may be anxious to break
the other record against third terms. He
will never do it with the kind of foolish
ness he vented upon the Holland Society
in New York last night.
Conservatism and principles are all
right. The closer we stick to them the
better. But there is no use trying to fit
principles to conditions which could not
be foreseen when the principles were de-
clared.
The American people and the Demo
cratic party need to have impressed on
them the fact that our first principles and
laws were made without any idea that
this was to he the predominant country OF
the world. Our fathers dreamed of that
but hardly believed in it or hoped for it.
We have brought it to pass In our day.
Between 1900 and 1900 these United
States of America rose from obscurity to
be the strongest, richest, most advanced
power of the earth. A hundred years ago,
seventy-fve years ago, in Mr.. Jefferson's
lifetime, we were little people in the
woods, known for nothing but our ability
to fight on land or sea when fighting was
necessary. Today We lead the procession
of the peoples. We feed the world, we
clothe the world, we could buy the world
if it was for sale, we could beat the world
if it was arrayed in arms against us.
The greatest and the fundamental mis-
take the Democratic party has made has
been in trying to tit the strict rules and
laws of backwoods colony to the giant
and ruling country. Mr.. Cleveland seems
to linger in the shade of the woods. He
is as eager as Mr.. Bryan to criticise and
denounce the policy of the Government
toward the Philippines, as vague as Mr..
Bryan in suggesting an alternative policy
and telling what he world do if he had
the power.
AS we look at it, our course in the Phil
ippines has one of two ends. We must
win or surrender; and we are not sur.
rendering country. There was no need
for fight in the islands. If the people
there had had little patience and faith in
us-which we deserved-there would have
been no trouble, AS it was, they preferred
to try conclusions with guns, and guns it
will be and ought to be until they are
ready to come to terms. The American
people can be trusted to make those terms
merciful and honest.
We are always glad to hear from Mr..
Cleveland. He has sense and courage,
deserves the respect of the country and
will occupy higher place in history than
is given him now. If he intends to appear
as the advocate of a generous and helpful
policy to the peoples we have voluntarily
and involuntariy taken under our protec-
ton, he will command respect, but not
electoral votes. If he takes Mr.. Bryan's
place as general critic and opponent Of
what is, with no sane suggestions of what
ought to be, he will lose the confidence
and respect of the country and remain
void of votes.