The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-24
Washington Day by Day

Washington, June 23.-(Special. 1.-The most comicai quality in our political world is the passionate and fearful devo- tion with which some persons hug to themselves the nightmareish delusion that Mir. Cleveland desres another term as President. Eyes grow watery, lips tremble and tongues fashion foul oaths as the :mag aginations of these persons picture the great man vainly pining to take up anew the burden he twice made illustrious.
 MT. Cleveland's simple name uttered in passing is to these persons as a red rag is to a bull: they fly at 1t with frightful rage, for they are desperately in earnest. They hate Mir. Cleveland with a rejoic- ing hatred, and there would seem to be no power in the world that could lead them to doubt that he is eating his heart out yearning for the office he cannot get again. The conviction that he is thus suf fering gives hem large joy; to them 1t is bliss, it Is bliss. They lie awake O nights Gloating over the belief that he is lying awake, tossing. grieving, delirious for the prize that has been the sport of jn- competent men,. If ono so much as hints doubt that Mir Cleveland desires an- other term of the least desirable great office under Ibe sun, the hint is accepted as almost personal insult to those who find joy in hating a man who is growing ole gracefully with his wife and his chill dren-the ideal American man!
 However serene one may be In attach ment to and faith in MT. Cleveland. these ..,tIl k, jest about the bare possibility that the great man may prefer ducks and fishes to the Presidency of The United States. The hatcrs will not suffer one to be good natured or jolly about the matter; they prefer that the meek and humble who are proud to be accounted followers Of MT. Cleveland shall appear grief-laden, weary and afraid.
 Now that doesn't seem quite fair. It isn't much to ask that one be permitted to be happy in following "a beaten man without a following" If one believes a thing, In ones heart that thing Is true. If one doesn't see tho wart on ones wife's chin, why. there Is no wart there. If one can't perceive the cloven hoof to great ness. there Is no cloven hoof. If the rag picker in the uptown ward esteems Alder man John to be a great statesman, it is so, ard there's an end to all argument with the ragpicker.
 Just now, when it is of supreme inter- est to the country, which is suffering more than ever from gross misgovern- ment, that all Democrats of all individual or collective views should stand as one man against Republican usurpation of authority, there are found some Demo- crats who are wrathful against Mir. Cleveland because he ventured from his cherished retirement to sound a note of hope for the party, which he alone has led to victory within nearly half a cen- tury. There are filings and sneers and jeers at this great Democrat for trying to aid his party in winning another vic- tory. Of course he knows nothing of the outcry of the noisy ones against him on account of his New York speech; he would not heed 1t if he knew. But his followers know, and 1t is not human na- ture for them to take 1t kindly or quietly,
 Take away the Democrats who believe in MT. Cleveland, and the party is left powerless to elect even a majority of