Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-06-27
Election Tuesday, Nov. a.
For Congress, 10th Va. District,
FL. d. FLOOD, of Appomattox.
cLEvELAND'S GRAFTON.

CLEvELAND'S GRAFTON.
The Tilden Club of New York city
had its pow WOW on the 10th as sched-
uled. Mr.. Cleveland and Mr.. Hill
were there, but Mr.. Bryan was not, the
latter was doubtless better employed,
at least he was in more congenial
company. Both Cleveland and Hill
spoke, and notwithstanding this fact
there have been no especial vibrations
Of the heavens or the earth. The
speech of Mr.. Cleveland has fallen fiat,
because few people save Republicans
read or notice much that he says.
Senator Daniel is quoted in the Wash
ington Post as saying that he had not
found time to read it, and Senator
Daniel voices the actions of vast
majority of Southern Democrats. Mr..
Hill, it is thought, seized on this oppor-
tunity to call attention to himself.
The Post further says:
Most of the Democrats In Congress
sincerely dislike Mr.. Cleveland. They
cling to the view that he wrecked the
party and are disposed to resent any
advice from him as to the best way to
bring about rehabilitation, but this
view comes largely from the Southern
wing of the party. The criticism
occasionally offered by Northern
Democrats is based on different
grounds. They believe thoroughly as
rule in the sound money doctrine Of
the former President, but dislike him
for the qualities which some Republi-
cans ascribe to Roosevelt-stubborn
ness and an aversion to machine poll
tics. Moreover, there is firm belief
in certain quarters that Mr.. Cleveland
is candidate for the Democratic
nomination in 1904"
Our friend of the News must have
been tickled clean down to his toes
by this outburst from Pelee, because
last Sunday morning the following
short, but instructive, sermon was
preached to the SPECTATOR from that
pulpit:
Governor Montague is regarded as
very smooth politician. When he
makes up his mind that it is time to
drop the soft money foolishness and
align himself with those Democrats
who have been on the other side OF
this question, 1t is pretty good evil
dence of the strength of this feeling
throughout the Democratic party. We
wish to call our friend. the SPECTA-
TORS atten ton to this, that he NAV
wander no longer in the jungles, and
may come out into the daylight, cease
to have visions of cataclysms, be cheer
full once more. and once more help to
lead the Democratic hosts to victory
on issues true and tried.n
Somehow we must for while at
least decline to be converted under
the preaching Of this apostle of Nc.
Klnley or Palmer and Buckner. We
must establish our faith on doctrines
less at variance with Democracy as we
have been taught it. The News has
been so short time preaching from
what it calls Democratic texts that
notwithstanding its glee over the
seeming conversion of Governor Mon
tague to the doctrines of Cleveland.
we must wander a little longer in the
jungles. We are not afraid, however.
to follow Governor Montague. We
were together when the News was
supporting Mckinley, and we have
never been far apart on any political
question we hope.
There are other Democrats, let us |
see what they say. In a searching
editorial in the Courier journal with
the caption, "a Deaths Head at the
Feast" Henry Watterson pays his
to Grover Cleveland in answer
to his speech before the Tilden Club ::
sit seems kind of irony of fate that
it should be Tilden club to welcome
Mr.. Cleveland's baleful recently into
political activity. Mr.. Tilden died
with words Of scorn and contempt on
his lips for Grover Cleveland. He un-
derstood perfectly the coarse texture
Of Mr.. Cleveland's physical and mental
make up; his obtuse selfishness; his
ignorant obstinacy; his vulgar self
assertion; his indefatigable duplicity.
That Mr.. Cleveland should put himself
Onward as conjectural party leader
8 proof Of a self confidence which
would be sublime If it were not SIMS
Ter; because leadership with him
means office, and nothing but office.
such well-termed disclaimers as that
which irradiated bis erstwhile aptly
'hrased speech Of Thursday night
mean nothing to those who are famil-
ar with his peculiar methods. They
now for certainty that Mr.. Cleve-
and never puts himself to the trouble !,
t public appearance without diff
lite objective point, and that his OBJ
,ctive point always relates to his own | q
ppetite and interest. j
From the day he was one and Z
Venty until now he has been an office -
ecker. He never drew d1sinterested
SEPARATION in all his life. We are not Il
therefore, to see in this n
'tfully timed and ostentatious reap :, ,S
earance upon the scene from which 81
} withdrew into the conspicuous 10
ade OF great university anything
cept the organization of Presiden W
Il boom, as it is called.
I'VE rather think the party will agee or
thOut much division that it has had Vi
fill Of Mr.. Cleveland. The idea of on