The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-24

legal tenQer QOlldTS d. d AoeAo ~ go
to 16 to /. The wise have been doing
things like that to the foolish since
first mankind was separated into the
wise and the foolish-casting pearls
before swine. Had the Democratic
party in 1885 done what the Republi-
can party did in 1897, everything in
this country worth having would be
Democratic, superlatively Democratic,
at this very moment, especially the
tariff. AS it is, there is nothing Demo-
cratic. not even the Democratic party.
Mr.. Cieveland's advice in 1885 was the
advice Benton would have given. The
difference was that Benton's advice
Democratic hearts. to quicken and
bring forth a harvest of Democratic
victory.
Is there anywhere a man who dis
believes that had Cleveland's advice
been followed by the Democrats, the
Republican party would have re-
mained what it then was-the rag
money, soft money party.
No man ever became president OF
the United States with higher ideals
or loftier aspirations than Mr.. Cleve-
land. He said that the Democratic
party could not afford to be migrate
full. and he bestowed with lavish hands
office upon Democrats everywhere.
But there were not enough offices to
go round, and there were many thou
sands of disappointed Democrats. They
claimed to be the very elect and they
made proclamation from the house
tops.
The Republicans, too, were much
dissatisfied. They did not understand
it at all, and some of them said it was
treason triumphant. The senate was
Republican, and it resolved that 1t
would talk a word with the Demo-
~, I~o tn
Senator Edmunds proposed to haul
the president of the United States up
before his judiciary committee and
make him tell the senate why he had
put out of office so many Repunhcan
patriots and given their places to
Democratic traitors. Cleveland sent
the senate a message, suggesting that
what they were saying and threaten
ing to do was nothing but "innocuous
desuetude." John ]. ingalls, fell into
figures. and computed that for every
quarter of an hour Cleveland had been
president he put a Democrat IN once.
Who do you suppose defended Cleve-
land in that quarrel? Why, James L.
Pugh of Alabama.
At first the Carlisle wing Of the par
tv complained that Randall was get
ting too much patronage. and Mr..
cleveland in his first two annual mes
sages, had a great deal more 10 say IN
favor of civil service reform than ne
said against the dogma of protection.
or ALI our presidents Mr.. Cleveland
had least experience in the workings
of and the least teachings in the issues
If national politics. He was Demo-
crat instinctively a Democrat; but ne
had never studied the tariff question:
1887 that he acquainted himself with
that issue.
The result was the tariff message of
1857. 1t startled the country. and In
Eve minutes made the tariff para
mount 1t was a Jacksonian stroke OF
policy and a Jacksonian stroke Oh
patriotism.
He either fears his fate too much
or his desert is small,
Who dares not put II to the touch
And win or lose 1t all.
IT was that. too. There,orore. Mr..
Randall had been potent enough to
kill several Morrison bills: now he
was not strong enough to kill the
Mills bill. which passed the house OF
representatives and was put to sleep
in the senate.
That the message of 1887 caused the
defeat of Mr.. Cleveland in 1888 there
is little doubt. but the Mckinley law
only accumulated the issue. and the
overwhelming Democratic victory OF
1890 was the answer SuIlc1entiy du-
yised electorate made to the tarln
message Of 1887. 900,
That answer was accentuated in 1892,
but 1t was more than the answer 70
Mr.. Cleveland-it, the election OF 1872
was the answer to John Sherman's
silver law, passed for the sole purpose
of relieving Republican president Oh
the embarrassment a free silver Dill
would make for him. You could count
on the fingers of one hand. nay. you
could count on the thumb of one hand.
every friend the Sherman silver law
had in the senate-William NJ. stew
art: but Republican statesmen made
the makeshift to take silver out OF
politics.
The country made an answer 10
that. too, and the answer was the 2"
votes Grover Cleveland got in the cleo
toral college of 1892. The country knew
what Grover Cleveland would do TO
free silver bill If it came his way
knew what he would do to 1t wouio De
a-plenty- The convention that nom
mated him voted down a free silver
resolution His. letter of acceptance
was notice to the 16 to 1ers. :,
But the country was then, ana naa
long been, in a saturna1ia OF specuIa
ton. Cornfields were surveyed ana