Evening journal., 1907-03-20
Wednesday, March 30, 1907.
MIR. CLEVELAND AS A LEADER

MR. CLEVELAND AS A LEADEK.
THE Hon Grover Cleveland has reached his
4 seventeen birthday, and is enjoying good
health, receiving the congratulations that are due
and becoming to man three times the candidate
OF great political party for President OF this
country. and twice the honored occupant OF that
exalted position He has the unique distinction
OF being the only Democrat that has held the
office OF President since before the Civil War.
Mr. Cleveland was chosen President at time
when the Republican party suffered severely
owing to internal dissensions and the dissatisiac-
ton among certain element callcd'the mug
wumps" Of New York. Their strength was suffi-
cient to throw the scales in favor OF the Demo
cratic nominee in New York State the crucial
point in the campaign. Mr.. Cleveland at that
time had the prestige of successful political ca
reer. He had been elected mayor OF Buffalo,
and. on so-called reform wave, had been chosen
Governor of New York by remarkable major
ity Everything pointed to Clevelands contin-
ued success The Democrats expected, under the
leadership. Of Mr. Cleveland, long lease Of
power.
The reaction in 1888 defeated Mr.. Cleveland,
but the prestige he had obtained stood him in
good service, and in 1892 he was again the candi-
date Of his party. There was feeling Of unrest
throughout the country which made the Harri-
son administration its target Cleveland again
was swept into power with his party in complete
control. and therefore responsible for construct
i've legislation. Both were put to the test and
under this test Mr. Cleveland as political leader
and mentor utterly lailede He could not COM
mand his party 1t became broken into strange
and curious elements and gradually driited into
condition OF chaos. Assuming the leadership
with his party in splendid condition, Mr..
Cleveland, in the space ef four years, left it
wreck, out Of which came forth Bryan, with his
radical views, attempting to win success by fol-
lowing course directly the opposite to that pur-
sued by Mr.. Cleveland
It is in this failure 10 impress himself as a
leader capable ofcomuanding the loyal support
OF his followers that Mr. Cleveland differed from
other Democratic chiefs. Jefferson became mas
ter of his party and its continued success fol-
lowed his term in office. The same may be said
of Jackson Mr. Cleveland had similar oppor-
tunity. He failed there and instead of impressng
himself upon his party even after he retired.from
office, he found himself in the ranks of bolters
practically leading a separate and independent
organization.
1t may be said that Mr. Cleveland in his ac-
ton assumed heroic attitude and that his
party left him and not he the party but assuming
this to be true it does not alter the fact that
leader Of men and Of political parties, Mr. Cleve-
land will not rank with many of his predecessors.
Despite the fact that the public has on numer-
Gus occasions been informed through the local
newspapers that souvenir postas containing
mica and other similar glistening material are de
barred from the mails unless inclosed in wrap
pers or envelopes, hundreds of these cards con-
tinue to reach the local post office daily with the
result that they are sent to the dead letter office
In consequence, the senders are out money and
oftentimes they lose friends because the cards for
whom they are intended never reach their desti-
nation. The storekeepers are also somewhat to
blame, for if they would inform the purchasers of
the Objectionable cards that the post office de-
partment rules prevent the forwarding of these
cards unless inclosed in wrappers, the practice
would soon cease.
Colonel Rrvan has been in New ENGLAND and