The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-06
is Grover cleveland a Demoorat7

To the Editor of The Journal;
K ly allow me space to comment on the
communication of Mr. Clarence T. Walker, which
appeared in your columns on Friday. the 74th
replying to remarks Of mine about Cleveland as
a democrat.
Mr. Walker did not read my article any more
carefully than he did the democratic platforms
or he would have that my protest was not
against the democratic party listening to the
advice OF Mr.. Cleveland but against certain
newspapers continually harping on his words as
If he were j democrat. The party is not liable
to attend TO his advice unless the rank and file
by apathy and neglect allow themselves to be
misrepreseuted in its councils
As to the potent facts presented Mr. Walker
writes as II he CLEANED his information from pa
pers like the Birmingham News rather than the
events as they transpired using as he does their
stock argument that Cleveland is the only can
didate for president that the party has been able
to elect in nearly fifty years naturally did
come out, that ono was not disappointed whet;
the bosom destruction came along in lis
due time and place
Now the truth is, that the first ten years OF the
last fifty. we had nothing but democratic prcsi-
dents. that the next sixteen were in the var
and the immediately succeeding period, which had
no bearing on the subject that in 1876 We did
elect MIR. Ildeu by larger majority than We
did Cleveland in 1884, that in 1888 after Mr.
Cleveland had been president four years he ran
the campaign entirely on his own plan and
method. but even with the advantage Of having
the Federal offceholders 10 assist he was swcnt
with something Of bosom himself And later
events demonstrated that his signal success in
rSqs was due to the union OF two opposing Gle
mcnts, tho money power IN the East ,nitirg
with the people Of the South aud West--the
one knowing their man and the other thinking
they knew him aud taking for granted that he
would carry out the platform on which he was
elected, After four years experience with him
the National convention Of 1896 came directly in
structcd by the mass of voters and wrote plat
form not to be misunderstood or misinterpreted
The rank and file determined that If thew
won, it would not be under false pretences and
If they lost it would not be as bad as the VIC
tory of 1902 victory only in name. Those who
read this platform carefully and dispassionately
IND out line IN II distinetvely populistic,' IN
less time-honored democratic principles are "pop
ulistie'
Then handicapped as were with our nominal
head openly assisting the foe, and despite the
millions of money collected from all parts az the
world and poured into every doubtful district
our Bayard, sans peur sans reproehe," polled
one million more votes than Cleveland did in
1899 and majority of the white votes OF N.
whole country.
AS for Cleveland being the "ablest and most
astute statesman who has occupied the White
House. since the foundation Of this Repubie
this IS matter of opinion ] can only say that
Mr. Walkers idea of his astuteness must have
been derived from the facility with which he
Joined his small coterie of muswumps with m,
republicans to defeat the efforts OF Senator Nor
gan of Alabama, Daniel of Virginia and other
democratic leaders TO carry out the promises ~
the platform on which Cleveland was elected
and his idea Of his ability, from that remarkable
deal with J. P. Morgan, when he placed The
government bonds at 1914 which Morgan syndi.
Gated A few daVS later a sd
later went to the real investors at ~.
However, this may be, in any battle, be II ~
bullets or ballots, when any man deserts his side
in face Of the enemy, he is regarded as a tra;tor
and it is worse than folly for him to return 70
the ranks and expect to be regarded as before
II II IS in war he is shot II it is in politics, he
is ignored Any other course will set pr.n,;u,,
on unfaithfulness Respectfully
E. z, G. RoBERrs.
Atlanta, October 40, 1909.