The Irish standard., 1902-07-05
THE STUFFED PROPHET AGAIN.

Grover Cleveland has emerged from
his retirement long enough to tell the
Democratic party what, in his opinion,
it should do to be saved politically
The occasion for his 50 doing was Gre
ated for him by ex-senator Hills
friends, who are booming that gentle
man for the presidential nomination in
1904. AS the guest of honor at the
dinner given at the opening of the
Tilden club house in New York, the
eN-president had chance to lay his
views before his fellow Democrats.
He chose harmony as the subject
of his speech. In true Cleve!andesQue
style he set forth ponderous platitudes
in sesquipedalian words. 1t will be re-
membered that he and his political
friends were not only lukewarm in the
last presidential campaign in their sup
y 1T of the regularly nominated candi-
date of the Democratic party, but they
even went so far as to place in the
field Il so-caled presidential gold can.
didate. That was piece of black
treachcry which should n,w exclude
those guilty of it from the Democratic
ranks, says the Irish World
No American citizen is bound per-
force to be Democrat OF a Republic
an. With every citizen rests the choice
of being one or the other. But an hon
orahle man, having made his choice,
will he loyal to the party, its candi-
dates and it's principles as embodied
in the platform adopted by the repre-
sentatives of the party entrusted with
the duty Of formulating such platform.
If it 50 happens that Il person cannot
approve consciemiOusly of Il platform
so adopted and of the candidate stand
ing on it. then his course is plain. His
duty is to get out of the party. If
Cleveland and his friends had done
that either in 1896 o" in 1900, they
would not now be fair subjects for
such criticism as their dasardly con-
duct has justly subjected them TO-
Some of them took to the woods"
and others openly raised the standard
of revolt by nominating a candidate OF
their own with Il view of drawing
away votes from the regularly nomi-
mated Democratic candidate.
1t is these same skulkers and rene
gatlcS who now hrnzenly assume to lee
ture the Democratic party on the need
OF harmony. Harm my, in the sense
they attach to the word. means the
tame submission of the Democratic
party to the guidance and leadership
Of men who in THE hour of battle
tasely deserted it. For this act CT
rerfidy they now make no apology.
Grover Cleveland voiced their senti-
ments when in his speech he declared
no confession of party sin should.
therefore be expected Of me. l have
none to make: nor do l crave FIR po-
ltcal absolutOn." That is the way
the man from whom the Democratic
renegades received so much encourage
ment refers to thes political treachery
of 1900. Instead of showing repentance
he takes upon himself to enact the
role of adviser to the political party
whose defeat his friends did their best
to compass two years ago
And what is the sort of advice he
gives? Passing over his meaningless
platitudes we come to the one definite
counsel he proffers the Democratic
party. What do you suppose it is?
Why. the old panacea of free trade.
The very foundations of the republic
are undermined by the imperialists.
The party in power has shown and is
still showing disgraceful subservi-
ency to England in all things Grover
Cleveland has not word to say
about imperialism. He is as silent as
the tomb about Anglomania. With a
ponderosity all his own he solemnly