The Washington times., 1903-08-22
Ex-senator Smiths Letter.
It's Publication Another Attempt to Re-
vive the Cleveland Boom


The belated publication of a letter
written last April by ex-senator
Smith is the saline solution which
certain friends of Grover Cleveland
are attempting to inject into his dy-
ing boom, in the hope of giving it new
life and vigor. 1t is a sad commen-
taTy which the New jersey statesman
makes upon the Democracy when he
says that Grover Cleveland is the only
man In the party who can be nomi-
mated and elected to the Presidency
IF ont of the six millions of Demo-
Gratis In the country there is not to be
found one other man capable of lead
ing the party to victory, then it is
high time that the great political or
ganization founded by jefferson, sus-
tanned by Jackson, and demoralized
by Bryan went out of business. If it
contains no other good and true man,
then is the party to be hkened unto
Sodom and Gomorrah and should be
destroyed. There is no longer right
eousness enough in the Democracy to
make worthy an attempt to save it,
for what would become of the party
should Grover Cleveland cease to be2
"Apres moi lie deluge," sighed dy-
ing Louis XIV, and Mr.. Smith evi-
dently believes that after Cleveland
will come the food. The only saliva
ton, he believes, lies in the nomina-
ton and election of Grover Cleveland.
This ill-timed effort to revive the
Cleveland boom is destined to failure
for reasons which are apparent to the
average layman in politics and which
should be obvious to one accredited
with the statesmanlike attributes and
political sagacity of ex-senator
Smith.
The Hon. Bourke Cochran was eau
tious enough to qualify his prediction
of the certainty of Cleveland's cleo
ton by the statement that the ex-
President could win, if he could get
the nomination, well knowing. of
course, that Cleveland's denomination
Is out of the question. Aside from al.
considerations of public protest
against a third term for any man, ex-
/ Senator Smith should know that with
David Bennett Hill directing the af-
fairs of the New York Democracy it
would be quite impossible for Cleve-
land to obtain the support of the dele
cation from that State IN the national
convention, and there is not that great
popular demand for his renomina
ton which existed in 1892 and caused
the unseating of the "snap" conven-
ton delegates and the admission Of
the Cleveland followers.
Furthermore, should Cleveland By
any possible condition of circum-
stances now unforeseen be renomi-
mated, can anyone doubt that there
would remain enough Bryanites to or
ganize a bolt which would prevent
Cleveland from carrying a single
Northern State, as the gold Demo
Gratis prevented Bryan's election in
1895? The denomination of Grover
Cleveland is therefore impossible, and
his reelection is doubly so.
The only excuse, therefore, which
can be offered tor the Smith letter Is
that it is a part of an attempt to cor
raj the Cleveland sentiment for the
purpose Of throwing its strength to
some Cleveland candidate. 1t was
written at a time when the Parker
boom was much talked of, and may
have, been intended to detraa atten-
tion from the New York jurist. Ii
certainly could not have been written
with the serious thought that Cleve-
land would be renominated It's pub
Eeation now can have little, if any, eff
feet We do not know whom the
Democrats will nominate next year
and, like the Hon. Adlai f. Steven
son, we don't care, but we predict that
the man will not be Grover Cleveland.