The Washington times., 1903-05-02
For a Third Term.
Mr.. Cleveland's Latest Candidacy as
Launched by St. Clair McKelway.
public.

Launched by St. Clair McKelway.
In frankly urging Mr., Cleveland's
denomination for the Presidency the
Brooklyn Eagle" undoubtedly voices
a sentiment which is gaining Roadway
within the Democratic party st.
Clair Mckelway, the editor of the
Eagle" is a Democratic leader of
trained intelligence and wide expert
ence, and his recent declarations in
support of Mr.. Cleveland's candidacy
may be taken to reflect the Judgment
Of thoughtful and serious element
inside the Democratic organization.
Mr.. MeKelway reports that the
conservative sentiment of the South
is almost a unit In demanding Mr..
Cleveland's denomination. Mixing, he
says, at the recent educational con-
ference at Richmond with governors,
judges, college presidents, chancellors
of universities, superintendent of
public schools, editors, clergymen, and
bankers" he found them agreeing
that Mr. Cleveland was "the only
Democrat who ought to be nominated
or who could be elected" ONLY the
machine politicians, South and North,
the editor of the Eagle" argues, OPP
pose Mr.. Cleveland's candidacy. And
their opposition can be swept away,
as it was In 1892, by the determine
ton of the Democratic masses TO
choose a Presidential ticket represent
ing their own aspirations and their
own preferences.
Mr.. McKelway's program is as IN
genuous as it is ambitious 1t chal-
lenges the rule of Democratic bosses
South as well as North, East as we'll
as West. Can the Democratic poll
ticians be driven to accept again a
yoke of leadership, CALLING enough
from 1885 to 1889, but felt to be ten
fold more crushing and unbearable
after 1893? Can the party machin-
cry now controlled by Mr.. Cleveland's
bitterest enemies be so manipulated
as to yield him a fourth Presidential
nomination next year?
Can, moreover, the repugnance
shown by the country to giving any
man a third term in the Presidential
Office be overcome by Mr.. Cleveland
and his friends? Doubtless the feel
ing which manifested itself in 1880,
when General Grant was seeking a
third election, has lost a portion Of It's
/ violence. Yet the unwritten law which.
Washington wrote and all succeeding
Presidents save Grant have honored
has still its hold on the Imagination
and on the prejudice of the American
voter
/ Mr. NcKelway says that many OF
Mr.. Cleveland's Southern friends
think that the idea OF conquering the
anti-third term tradition would have
a fascination about it for the peo-
Pile" But the experiment would be
an exceedingly questionable one, and
we are not at all sure that the idea of
rebulling the would-be conqueror OF
this century-old tradition would not
have an even greater fascination for
the voting public.
| But whatever Mr. Cleveland's
chances may be either for a nomina-
ton or an election, it is refreshing to
find his candidacy, hitherto only mys-
teriously whispered, now discussed
with openness and candor. Ard this
resuIt-an altogether creditable one
we owe to Mr.. McKelway's honesty of
purpose, to his conviction, stimulated
bv his recent visit to Richmond, that
all objections to Mr. Cleveland's latest
candidacy, if met frankly, can be
! safely overcome.