The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-19
MIR. CLEvELAND's LAMENT.

EOT a man VINO mas declared LeDtdteLlg
that ne has no further political ambition
than to serve as a high private in the rear
ranks of his party Mr.. Cleveland shows
singular persistence in keeping himself be-
fore the public. He omits no opportunity
in that direction. and he always appears
as a partisan. One would think that a man
Of his age. who is enjoying the dignifed
retirement of a twice-elected President,
could find something else to write about
than partisan politics. After Benjamin Har-
rison retired from the presidency he con-
Quoted the case Of Venezuela in the great
AnglO-Venezuelan arbitration; he delivered
a course of lectures at Stanford University;
wrote several papers for the North Ameri-
can Review on topics of national interest;
wrote articles for leading magazines on
such topics as Military instruction in the
Schools and Colleges" "The Obligations of
Wealth" Compulsory Dishonesty ETC.
all instructive and nonpartisan. Mr.. Cleve-
land seldom tries to rise above a partisan
atmosphere, and when he does try he shows
he is out of his element.
His article in the current number of a
weekly paper is an attempt to show that
the Democratic party has a chance to sue
coed in the coming presidential election, and
his argument consists mainly of false
charges and groundless insinuations against
the record, acts and policies of the Re
publican party. Referring to his faith in
Democratic success, he says:
TIT -. In -- -
the meaning of the daily increasing unrest
among our people, growing out of the start
ling and fiippant abandonment by the party
in power of our national traditions and
maxims, its disregard of our national moral
restraints, its inconsiderate tendency to set
aside national good faith, its Willingness to
break away from safe and accustomed
mOOr1nSS and its ~ntemptuOu neglect OF
our national mission. Surely, these condi-
tons, together with the broken pledges and
forgotten promises of reform that vex the
sight on every side, not only abundantly
explain the popular distrust and fear pre-
vailing everywhere in the land, but suggest
that In such a stress of political weather
those of our fellOw-citiZens. who thought
tons, will not be unmindful of such safety
and quiet as may be offered them b. a
patriotic and conservative Democracy.
The only difference between this and the
average editorials in Democratic newspapers
throughout the country is hat the editor
generally writes much more directly to the
point and tries. however Intellectually, to
sustain his charges with some specifications.
Mr. Cleveland fires a broadside of charges
clothed in vague language, and lets it go at
that. If any meaning at all attaches to such
expressions 1.-The startling and Aippant
abandonment of our national traditions and
maxims." 1.-The inconsiderate tendency to
set aside national good faith "the con-
temptuOus neglect of our national mission
ETC.. Mr.. Cleveland should interpret them.
AS he belongs to the class of those who
th%oughtfully and constantly love our free
institutions" perhaps he could translate the
expressions by some light that never was on
sea or land. but without a key they are
meaningless.
The record of the Republican party is
made up to date, and it cannot be changed
by attempts to distort or misrepresent il.
1t is history. and it forms by far the most
brilliant page in the history of the country.
1t embodies all the progress the country
has made during the last half century, from
an isolated nation, almost without recogni-
uOn beyond It's own borders, TO a world
power. whose influence for civilization and
progress is felt throughout the world, and
from a place away down in the list of man.
ufacturing and commercial countries to the
very front rank. The party under whose
government and policies the country has
made this progress has not succeeded by
broken pledges and forgotten promises of
REFORM nor by discarding American tradi-
tions. but by adopting high ideals and living
up to them, by formulating progressive poll
cies and carrying them out. Mr.. Cleveland
is greatly mistaken if he thinks the people
can be induced to exchange this kind of
progress, development and growth for such
safety and quiet as may be offered them by
a patriotic and conservative Democracy