The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-05-11
! y Cleveland and a Third Term.

" Cleveland and a Third Term.
It is plainly to be seen that there
IS abroad in the country the spirit OF
Cleveland revival.
Not alone the st. Louis ovation Is
the evidence of the fact Incidents
preceding that and proposals for the
future in which Mr.. Cleveland was
and is to be featured almost amount
to an argument from design that he
is to be promoted as the precedent
breaker and possible first third-term
president of the United States. Such
a design. if it really exists among po-
litical managers or respectable mass
of citizens, cannot bur cause serious
concern for the democratic party OF
the country.
The Constitution will not essay the
insinceritv of declaring that Grover
Cleveland is not a masterful man ana
the strong political favorite OF mil
lions of democratic and independent
voters. He has marked qualities as
thinking publicist, subcommittee
pose on imminent public issues and
personality in which the emphatic cpl
thets are independence. courage and
confidence in his convictions. For
these rigi1 characteristics he IS III
debted for most OF the admiration he
receives.
That Mr.. Cleveland is impressed by
those recent evidences of his personal
popularity to which We have referred
is but natural Yet he will signally
fail Of his reputed perception of situa-
nearest friends to assume, that be
cause he receives applause for his
presence and agreement with his ora
tons on specific themes he can
achieve a preferment that has been
denied to all other Americans, from
the days of Georgia Washington to the
present epoch While it is true that
a third term in the presidency does
not in Mr. Clevelands case appear
so badly defiant Of American custom
and so suggestive of militarism as ii
did in the instance of General Grant.
nevertheless We are confident that
serious suggestion to elect him pres
ident again will arouse promptly the
seeming indifference of the common
people TO that un-American idea.
Indeed. that seeming Indifference of
the people which we mention is rath-
or due to the declarations of Mr..
Cleveland himself than TO any other
reason Mr. Cleveland has said open
ly and repeatedly that he is 'Out of
politics" and will not be candidate
for the nomination When he means
to be understood he can say his pur-
pose as resoluteIy and irrevocably as
any man. Mr.. Tilden was able to re-
nounce a denomination in 1880 50 en-
phatically as TO change the purpose of
national democratic convention.
Mr. Cleveland is as emphatic as Mr..
Tilden was in saying that the prece-
dents against third term in the pres
idency for any man have hardened
into an unwritten law. all the more
sacred because j. T. a part of the ma
tiOnal instinct and not a mere stat
utOTy prohibition.
The Constitution believes that Mr.
Cleveland means what he says and ac-
ccpts his declaration of non-perform-
ance in any way leading to the belief
that he would accept a third-term
nomination. Ii he is in anything more
worthy OF admiration thar all else II
IS because he is not trimmer and a
demagogue And only such a person
with his knowledge and record. would
nirt with this abhorrent third-term
idea
The democratic party is slowly and
surely approaching a condition of har-
mony that BODIES we'll for it and bad
for its opponents. AS an honored and
indebted democrat Mr Cleveland
could ii afford to intrude his person
ality and preference as Instructions
to this most desirable process of party
unification. He is not indispensable
to party victory in 1904. Mr. Bryan
is not the man t achieve It. Neither
of them can Loyalty and safely for his
future in history do less than abiure
his own ambitions and lead whatever
following he influences into the camp
and ranks of a party newly united and
iub ant for victory.
The issue of the present with the
national democracy is this-to forego
any programme centering on either
Cleveland or Bryan, and go wisely and
honestly to the work of finding that
third man, who can and viii lead the
party to triumph. He lives and can
be found, and against him there will
be raised none of the objections that
would be valid against either Cleve-
land or Bryan.
Great issues are to be presented in
the presidential campaign next year
and it would be the extreme OF folly
for the democratic party to enter the
battle weighted down with the feuds
of past campaigns Whether Mr..
Cleveland wrecled the party or not,
the discussion of the issue now inside
re party. or with its opponents,
would lead TO no conclusion other
than our confusion and certain de-
feat.
The democrats of the nation must
rise once more to tho great attitude
the marty Leld in 1876 and set its face
as flint against the appearance even
of adopting the defeated notions of
renublicans or prepOsterous partisans.
The nation needs the reformatons
that can only come with a democratic