New-York tribune., 1908-07-03
COL. WATTERSON ANGRY
Calls CleUeland Resolution Act OF
"HuDocrites" and "GhOuls.

Louisville. July 2.-Conmenting to-day on the
report from New York last night that ex-Judge
Alton B. Parker had been selected TO present
a resolution at the Denver convention on the
death of Grover Cleveland. Colonel Henry Wat
terson said:
The attempt to drag the dead body of Grover
Cleveland from its new made grave int1 the
tumult of national convention will deceive no
one An invasion of the grief of the noble Iady
who weeps amid the silence and the solitude
of the granite hills. blow at party concord. IL
is the act of shameless hypocrites- Nor was
ever a professional ghoul inspired by more
mercenary spirit. because the sole aim and end
of the Murphy-Conners crowd. aided by Judge
Parker, is the perpetuation of the ascendancy
of the Belmont-Ryan combination, 10 whlcn
Democracy owes its last ignomln1ous and wen
deserved defeat 1t Belmont-Ryan money
that financed Judge Parker's campaign for the
nomination in 1904 1t was BelmOnt-Ryan
money that nominated him; and it was the
Belmont Ryan tag that made an antitrust gov
ernment under such a brand absurd and I'M
possible
1t seemed fitting that. having made sacrifices
for predatory wealth. Judge Parker should have
his recompense in rich law practlce IN the
city of New York. He has had IT, ana Win IL
he should rest we'll content That ne should
emerge from this highly paid obscurity TO make
trouble through sheer malev0lence were plu-
abe indeed; but that he should appear, backed
by money of the trust magnates and traction
thieves, appealing to jefferson and Tiden. the
dead body of Cleveland stretched upon the dis
secting table is disgraceful
1t is only disgraceful, but its motive is
grotesqIely and transpprently obvious. Inc
wing of the Democratic party IN the state OF
New York to which Judge Parker and the group
with which he is acting belonged was the
David Bennett Hill wing. They were the In
Cleveland They hated him, and he hated them
Although. amid the gloom of defeat kind of
truce was reached. there was never a real
amnesty or Oblivion either side. so that the
scheme to recall the shade of Cleveland and TO
set this up as deaths head IN the COMEDY OF
a mock funeral would be too dastardly and too
CHASTITY for belief if it were not the last des-
perate play of clique of discredited politicians,
seeking to rule ruin at any cost
Standing about the open grave of Mr. Cleve-
land those of US who knew him but did not
always approve him or agree with him were not
only willing that bygones be bygones, but that
the good alone should live after him He Is
dead. he sleeps with those that went before.
from Jefferson to Tilden. and history can be
trusted to do him no injustice Resurrected at
Princeton and proclaimed at Denver. his name
spells firebrand and only frebrand, and fire
brand is the sole initiative ana purpose or the
bodysnatchers who purpose to use it 10 conjure
dissension while they try to corrupt delegates
In Mr.. Bryan and a reunited party Demo-
Gratis saw hope of victory. on none other was
there the smallest hope of union That they
reason truly has beer shown by the fact that
with the Ryan, Belmont barrel" on tap and its
agents flying about N every direction state
after state. refusing to be tampered with. or
tainted, has declared for the Nebraskan. Seeing
this Judge Parker is put forward 70 deliver the
final stroke of the bravo. and. under the pre-
tence of hCnoring the memory of Cleveland. 10
nIunge Il blade reekrg with poison. artfuly
he should lend himself 10 such a vflany VIII
enguf him in the SCOrn of honorable men and
the detestation of the thoughtful Democrats
There is no more reason why Democratic
National Convention should go out of its way 70
signaIize one former Democratic President than
another. why il should rush upon Cleveland with
a frenzy of words than, with a hysterical Shrek
it should rush upon Buchanan; each. Buchanan
and Cleveland, having had the misfortune 10
divide the party. The spectacle In the case OF
Mr. Buchanan would lack common sense. In
the case of Cleveland it lacks both common
sense and common decency. As we'll dig up the
will of ATr Tiden. which Judge Parker decided
against the instructions and wishes of the Sage
Of C;revs-9ne and make IL the subject OF eulogy,
for the sake of controversy. AS well invoke the
spirits Of the warning Democrats of 1850 and
seek 10 force the Douglas men to pay tribute
10 the Rreckinridge men Under any condition
and from any quarter the proposal 10 revitalize
Old uuarrels by preamble and resolution on the
threshold of a nationa! movement would be
thrown out as insane. Coming from Conners
and Murphy. from Belmont and Ryan. from
Parker and Sheehan. IL will be thrown out as
infamous
They may defeat u.s. but they cannot de-
banch