, 1908-09-04

CLEvELAND'S LAST MESSAGE.

Ii requires patriotism and courage OF
the highest kind for a great statesman
to repudiate the acts OF his party. Par
ticularly Ii this true OF men who have
occupied the presidential chair
through their party's ascendency.
Grover Cleveland was such q man.
When he believed he was right no
power on earth could swerve him from
what he conceived to be mis- plain du-
ty. But OF all his courageous acts,
perhaps none required genn'as
patriotism than his last letter to the
American people. given to the nation
through the New York Times OF last
Sunday morning. In that letter Mr..
Cleveland gives the highest reasons
for the election of Mr.. Taft and for
the rejection of Mr.. Bryan. The fol
lowing paragraphs are Of deep In
terest to all:
There Is no suggestion OF q senti-
ment Of ~disloyalty on my part to the
elder principles of democracy under
which | have striven always to do my
public duty In matters large and small
when | say that there Is a large In
iication that the coming ear will
bring forth a new ascendency of those
same principles, perhaps under a diff
ferent panoply, and perhaps with a
Incorporation OF the decayed frag,
ments Of IN organization that failed
TO serve its purpose. No political par
ty in any country has ever been wreck
ed by continued consistency with the
principles that originally made 1t a
power, the rocks on which it fell In
variably being the errors of opportun-
list. The present campaign as a side
feature will have a long step In the
progress to the readjustment to first
principles. and 1t is propitious indeed
ity that those principles are needed to
determine it. Never has there been
a safer time for the rehabilitation tC
proceed.
When 1t became apparent that Mr.
Taft would be the nominee OF his par
ty, that Mr.. Hearst and his party
would make a clean cut EFFORT for en-,
placement as a national factor and no,
endeavor to gain any immediate ad
vantage for themselves by any such
process as fusion, in fact would seel
o destroy Organism, or rather MI
Bryan's hold on the democratic pal
~, not by forcing the hold to relax
out by lessening that which he hao
o hold, conjecture as to the result IL
the November conclusions could be o,
but one sort among sensible men. Will
he several other parties disorganiz
ng, redeveloping, and p~rocreating. tn,
'epublican party is certain, thong.
With a considerably lessened strength
o move on to a safe victory sustaine,
oy the popular support of reforms
which should not rebound to Its glory
solely, those reforms having been tn.
work Of decent men Of all parties.
There Is fear IN my part Of bein
misunderstood in what l am about t.
say, but surely the fair minded maj
must realize when he considers my at
itude toward my own party, all now Il
matter of immutable record, that 1t is
prompted by a sense Of simple fair
less.
Personally inc officially, I have
lad the opportunity Of knowing man.
.hings concerning Mr.. Taft that wert
lot a matter of general knowledge
and with a keen interest l have watch
I'd mis- large share III the conduct
our national affairs in very zee
years. His excellence as a fedora
Judge in Cincinnati is something no
o be underestimate or overempha
sized, for should he come to the presi
lential chair the qualities which mad,
aim a judge of high ability, which !
know him to have been, will be the
most needful to him as president o.
he United States. His high ideals o
honesty and of relative justice, his
great capacity for severe labor, AMI
his humorous wisdom in the face o
he serious problems are attribute
equally valuable and commendatory to
| people seeking him In whom they
may rerose the trust of their collec
i've interests while they turn theii
increased attention to their pressing
Individual demands"
Sfnn P.Wsrd aim