The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-06-21
SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS.

In the course of his speech at the
opening of the new headquarters of
the Tilden Club on Thursday night Ex-
President Cleveland asked some very
pertinent questions. After stating
that Democrats were never more
ready to do enthusiastic battle than
now if they could only be marshalled
outside the shadow of predestined de-
feat, he asked the following pertinent
questions: rs it too much to ask our
leaders to avoid paths that are known
to lead to disaster? 1t is too much to
ask that proven errors be abandoned
and that we be delivered from a body
of death, and relieved from the burden
of issues which have been killed by the
DEGREES of the American people? Ought
we not to be fed upon something bet
ter than the husks of defeat?''
Mr. Cleveland went on to say that
if these questions were met in an hon
est and manly fashion he believed it
would be productive of Democratic
harmony He did not name the issues
which. in his opinion, are errors, and
which have been killed by the DEGREES
of the American people. but there is
no doubt in any ones mind as to what
they are They are in the Kansas City
platform, and the fight against them
when the question of putting them
there was under consideration was
warmly contested one. The decision
would have been against them if it had
nA for fHa
ence in the platform was demanded by
the man who was to be nominated for
President. They had been a heavier
burden than the party could carry in
1896. and in the opinion of some of the
wisest of the Democratic leaders were
too burdensome for the party to win
with them in 1900.
The indications are that they will
be abandoned in 1904. The Democrats
of Indiana and Illinois, two of the
greatest of the states of the Middle
West, have refused to reindorse them,
and no doubt the Democrats of many
other states will either pass them over
in silence or repudiate them.
Still, the section of the Democracy
that is still led by Mr.. Bryan will no
doubt attempt to have them incorpor-
ated in the next national platform of
the party. There are Democrats who
believe them to be issues which are
essential to the welfare of the country,
and that they should be kept
at the front whether there is
a chance for the party to be
victorious with. them or not. They
are getting to be small minority,
however, and may not have sufficient
influence to make much of an impress
sion on the next national convention.
1t does seem that, in view of the fact
that those who still adhere to these is
sues, dead issues, Mr.. Cleveland called
them, killed by the DEGREES of the
American people, should be willing to
follow the lead of those who wish to
place the party on a platform contain
ing issues in which the people are Wit
ally interested, and with which 1t is
believed the party can be victorious.
If they will announce their willingness
to permit these burdensome issues to
be sidetracked, as 1t were, there will be
| harmony at once in the Democratic
party. There are issues on which the
party can conduct a successful cam
paign two years hence. Ex-senator
HILL in the address which he made at
the Tilden Club celebration named a
number of them. The issues to which
he called attention have the approval
of all Democrats. Mr.. Cleveland and
Mr.. Hill pointed out the road to har-
mony and victory. Will that road be
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