The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-06-28
IN MnlIs ! Ahhntl

CPy Willis J Abbott
Chicago. June 27.-Ggover Cleyc.
land is dead full OF honors and at
the same time followed To- the grave
by many bitter antagouisms. The old
phrase that one should say nothing
except good of the dead is in the
main righteous. Yet We do say things
concerning great leaders of popular
thought, men possibly greater than
Cleveland that are not always good.
There was man from this state OF
Illinois. whence | am writing today.
one Gov. Jonn r. Altgeld who clashcd
with Cleveland over a question OF
constitutional law and who finally
died on a lecture platform at Joliet
making an impassioncd plea for the
liberty of the Boer republic They
said things of Altgcld after his death
that were not altogether good. per-
haps some things might properly be
said about Cleveland that are not
wholly complimentary.
AZ the same time in the period
Of his strength Mr. Cleveland was
a prodiglous power for real demo-
cracy. He rallied about him i'm 1851
all the young enthusiastic democrats
Of that time lie was elected over.
whelmingly against the idol of tho
republican party, James G.. Blaine
lie was elected on the tariff issue.
and he had with him the senate and
the house OF representatives. Yet
out OF his administration then came
little or nothing TO give effect 10
this issue upon which he had been
elected. Processing devotion To civil
service reform. as Roosevelt has
since, he did as much 70 break down
the civil service reform law. almost
as Roosevelt has Defeated I'm 1855.
he became president again I'm 1892
It was then that he attempted to
pass proper law for the revision
the the tariff and was aided In the
house Of representative by a man
then almost unknown 10 political
life, William J. Bryan Of Nebraska
Mr. Bryan's magnetic and electrical
speech favoring the Wilson bill sway
ed many hearts and controlled some
votes. The bill was carried and its
author William L. Wilson of West
Virginia was carried out of the house
OF representatives on the shoulders
Of his enthusiastic supporters among
whom Mr.. Bryan was almost the
chief
This was perhaps the last appear
ance of Grover Cleveland In the
line OF real democracy. He did stand
for tariff reform. But TO him that was
the one issue before the American
people II seemed 10 be impossible
for him TO comprehend the other
reforms for which the democratic
party today stands. II I'm the twelve
years that have passed since his
retirement from office he has been
able 70 discern or to understand the
growing desire of the democratic
masses for some promise of legis-
latiOn which shall be more stimula-
ting to hope, more promising for the
future than the reduction of the
tariff, he has given no sign OF his
knowledge He stood in 1906 for the
geld standard, and perhaps history
or more probably the bounty of ma
ture which has quadruplod the output
Of gold may have justified his position
then We OF the progressive demo-
cracy no longer harbor any rancor
against him, or against any other man
for what was done in that hard
fought and honorable campaign. But
in the twelve years since neither
Grover Cleveland nor any one OF the
group OF powerful men who surround
; ed him, and who in his later years
!, used him as their political fronts
piece, have been able TO understand
what the democracy Of today repres
ents Stll today our democracy is
for a currency controlled by the
nation, or If need shall be by the
limitations placed upon the output
OF the precious metals by nature; to-
day democracy stands for the govern
ment of the people, by the direct