The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-06
Washington Politicians Are Amazed
It What They Regard as His
Open Candidacy.
Point Out That the No Third Term
idea Would Operate Against
Him.
Say His Nomination Would Mean a
Bolt and Roosevelt's Election
by Big Majority.
From The Journal Bureau Room IS, Post Build
ing, Washington

From The Journal Bureau Room IS, Post Build.
ing, Washington
Washington, May 6.--Grover Cleve-
land S recent trip into the middle west IS
taken there to mean that he has finally
consented to permit the use Of his name
in connection with the democratic presi-
Dental nomination next year His recep-
ton in ST. Louis, altho bearing many IN
dications of having been carefully prear-
ranged, was hearty and sincere on the
surface. His friends are proud Of it, and
are taking it to mean that in the strong
hold of Organism he has many loyal sup
porters. His appearance for an address
at the banquet given the Washington cor
respondents in st. Louis last Friday
night is regarded as another indication of
his willingness that his name be used by
the president makers in their preliminary
talks. The Friday night address was
prepared in advance, and cast In happy
mold. There was fine opportunity to set
the question of his candidacy next year
at rest, but not once. directly or Indirect
Iy did he mention the subject. While in
st. Louis he met by appointment the
leading gold democrats of the middle
west some of whom came hundreds of
miles from other states to see him. 1t is
understood that to these men he said
enough to indicate that he would accept
another nominal ton If 1T were to come to
him, and it will be surprising if. re-
suit Of the conferences, an attempt is not
made soon to start a Cleveland boom in
the Bryan country.
So far as the democracy of the cast is
concerned-~and that is the section where
Cleveland is strongest and where the gold
democrats in 1896 made their greatest
showing-it appears very willing to accept
Cleveland as it's nominee next year. The
New York World and the Brooklyn Eagle.
influential journals in the east. are still
working overtime getting his boom
started Cleveland himself has prepared
two interviews for publication in the
World, both of which gave him an OPP
portunity equal to that of last Friday
night to go on record as not wanting an
other nomination., but he said nothing.
Meanwhile, these two newspapers, which
have his confidence in an unusual degree,
and do not publish anything which would
displcase him are asking for his nomina
ton. And Mr.. Cleveland made a long
Journey to ST. Louis for the express pur-
pose of talking over the situation with the
gold democrats of the middle west
Notwithstanding Grant was refused a
third term. in compliance with the un-
written law of the republic, there are
many reasons aside from those mentioned,
for believing that this Cleveland talkNis
meant to be serious. His friends are
saying that the fact that his service a
president was not continuous. Harrison
terms, and that there will be a gap of
eight years between the close of his sec
ond term and the beginning of the term of
Mr.. Roosevelt's successor, will opera tie to
suspend this unWritten law. But even If
this were true, and it probably is not if
public opinion as expressed thus far may
be relied upon, what guarantee is there
that the democratic party can be prevailed
upon to have it's salvation undertaken in
that way? Apparently there is not now
a single democratic state calling for Mr.
Cleveland's temperance In politics. This
would be equally true If he had served one
term instead Of two. and there were no
third term prejudces to overcome. He
saved the country, from a debased cur
rency. but that very fact makes him an
imposibility among those democrats who
adhere to Bryan and the Kansas City
platform. If nomina ted at all. it will be
by q minority Of the party, and the Bry-
an protest would probably take form in a
bolt and a third ticket, or open support Of
Roosevelt.
Looking at it from every practical point
of view, it seems absurd to talk about
Cleveland for a third term. His nomina-
ton would insure the election of Roose-
welt by a record breaking majority, and
SO divide the democracy as to postpone
for many years the coming of a time
when it can hope to make successful
presidential campaign. The strange part
of it all, to those In Washington who are
following the political drift, is Cleveland
own blindness to the real situation; for
he is blind, or he would not permit his
New York newspaper friends to exploit
him as they are now doing.
w. w. Jermane,