Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-07-07
|SOME HOT SHOT
POURED INTO CLEVELAND BY
WILLIAM j. BRYAN.
CIeveland's Speech Criticised From Latter
Day Democratic Standpoint. To Nominate
Cleveland Would Be the Logical Thing for
the "Reorsanizsrs" to do.

gathering, an ovation TO the cnleI guesC,
former democrat Grover Cleveland.
There can be no such thing as harmony
between men like him and those who
believe in democratic principles, and he
is frank enough to say so. He spent no
time looking for "middle ground" upon
which to gather together discordant ele-
ments. He boldly called upon the men,
bers of the party to abandon their con-
victions and accept the construction
which he places upon democratic princi-
pies. He even tainted the party with
being sort of prodigal son and invited
it to give up its diet OF husks and return
to its fathers house.
He spoke OF his retirement from
political activity" and said: "Perhaps
there are those who would define
my position as one of Punishment in
stead OF retirement. Against this l shall
not enter a protest. 1t is sufficient for
me in either case that 1 have followed
in matter OF difference within our party
the teachings and counsel of the great
democrat in whose name party peace
and harmony are tonight invoked. No
confession of party sin should, therefore,
be expected of me. l have none to
make nor do l crave POLITICAL absolu-
ton. l am here to take counsel with
others processing the same party faith
concerning the democratic situation"
He not only boosted of his course, but
put his brand upon those who sat at
meat with him. Having asserted that
his democratic faith compelled him to
leave the party (or resulted in his BAN
ishment) he described the banqueters as
sharing in that faith.
1e is not only defiant, but he insists
that party success can only be secured
by an open and avowed return to his
ideas. Harmony is to be secured not by
the suppression of differences but by the
elimination of those who differ from
him.
The text of Mr.. Cleveland's speech
makes it plain that the reorganzers do
not want harmony, but control, and that
their control means the abandonment of
the party's position and return to the
policies and practices Of Mr. Cleveland s
second administration. He secured his
nomination in 1892 by secret bargain
with the financiers his committee col
lected from the corporations and spent
the largest campaign fund the party ever
had he filled his cabinet with corpora
ton agents and placed railroad attorneys
on the United States bench to look after
the interests OF their former clients. lie
turned the treasury over to a Wall street
syndicate and the financial member OF
his official family went from Washington
to become the private attorney OF the
man who forced (?) the treasury depart
ment to sell him government bonds at
lO5 ard then resold them at III. He
tried to prevent the adoption OF the in
come tax provision, refused to sign the
only tariff reform measure passed since
the war, and while laundering against
the trusts in his messages did even less
than Knox has done to interfere with
their high-handed methods.
His administration, instead OF being
a fountain of democracy sending forth
pure and refreshing streams, became 6
stagnant pool from whose waters fou
vapors arose-poisonous to those who
fingered near.
Having debauched his party he was
offended by its effort to reform and gave
comfort to the enemy. Virginius killeo
his daughter to save her chastity Cleve
land stabbed his party to prevent it:
return to the paths OF virtue.
And now, still gloating over his polit
ical crimes he invites the party to re
turn to him and apologize for the con
tempt which has expressed for him
Will it? Not until the principle o
Jefferson are forgotten and the works o
Jackson cease to inspire.
If we are to have reorganization, Cleve
land himself should accept the presiden
tial nomination. 1t would be due him
his reinstatement would be poetic justic
to him and retribution to those who's
democratic conscience revolted agains
his undemocratic conduct. OF course h
would get no democratic votes, but be
ing closer to plutocracy than any reput
lican likely to be nominated he nigh
divide the enemy, and even democrat
would have what little consolation woul
3 come from receiving their disappoint
l ment in advance.
A merchant. about to fail. invited hi