Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-15
how ArsToRr is DISTORTED.
sample Called from a sketch of
Former President Cleveland.

81. Louis, Globe-Democrat.
The writer OF an article on Grover Cleve-
land in one Of the current magazines-the
same writer who was recently scourged by
some Of the leading papers Of the country
for some OF his slurs on Thomas c. Plat
is getting democratic praise for his picture
of the ex-preeident. That writer says, for
example, in referring to the election Of
Cleveland for governor in 1882. that "the
revolt against republican rule was brutal,
u~nplanned-a barbaric yawp Of disgust"
Anybody who knew anything about that
canvass could ave told that writer that 1t
was the Conklinga Blaine fight in New York.
and not any revolt against republican rule,
for there was no such revolt, that gave
Cleveland his 1926 lead over Folger for
governor in 1882. Cleveland got only 500
more votes in New York in that year than
Hancock poiled in that state two years
earlier, while Foiger's vote was 1850 0
short Of that received by Garfield In the
canvass two years prior. The factionai fight
simply kept these republicans away from
the polls.
According to that writer. an anti-repub-
llcan tornado broke out in 1884, and
hurled him (clsveland) into the White
House" The dimensions of this tornado
can be pretty accurately gagged by the
1.047 plurality for Cleveland In New York,
out of an aggregate Of 100000 votes in the
state. and that state decided the election in
the whole country. A change Of 600 votes
from the democratic to the republican
side In the state OF New York In that year
would have elected Blaine. The Burchard
imbeciiity. the st. John prohibition vote Of
1000, the detection Of the Conkling sec
ton Of the republicans in interior New
York. and any one Of the many Other
things which could be cited would undoubt.
eddy account for more than this 500 votes
The assertion that Cleveland reduced
revenues and saved taxes" is pretty ef'
fectively nsWered by Cleveland's party
perndy and party dishonor'' assault on th'
Wilson-Gorman revenue and tax reduction
measure. which he contemptuously refuseS
to sign. allowing it TO go on the statut,
book By the expiration OF the time limit
Moreover, ne increased the interest-bearinl
debt TO the extent Of $2e2, 200. 900 in hi
second term. In q period Of profound peace
By sales Of bonds for gold to protect tn
treasury reserve.
Even In the particulars in which Cleve
land was right that writer is hopelessl
astray. He says that when Cleveland Il
1856 "aseended the platform to make hi
inaugural address, not nifty men in tn
world could have guessed what positioI
he would take on any pending problem
This was ten days after the president
elect had written hat letter to A.. J
Warner Of Ohio. in which he pointed ou
that the only way to save the eountr
from the ruin which silver coinage threat
ensd 10 ianict upon IL was 70 stop tn
coinage Of silver. Many Of Cleveland
Addresses In the campaign of 1884 shove
that he was against further silver coinag'
That Warner letter ten days before he too
once showed that he would hit silver a
soon as he could reach Il and hit It Just 9
hard a blow as be could deal. There weF
not nifty newspaper readers In the Unite
| States on the day Of Cleveland's first IN
auguration who had the slightest doubt &
70 his exact position on the silver question
one Of the two most important Issues
: the day. This Is one OF the ways In whie
history IL distorted BY writer's who attsmI
. to deal with Ii VILE LACKING a knoWledl
. 9f historyee elementary feetA