The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-14
EDITOR Of THE SUN .

ton to Grover Cleveland. an INTEL
lectual rather than personal war. be-
gan before Mr.. Cleveland was ma
tional figure. In September. 1882.
when the hitherto obscure Buffalonian
was nominated for Governor OF New
York. THE SUN said:
1t is usually not a wise thing in pol
tiles, any more than in war. to take a
private from the ranks and at one bound
to promote him to be COMMANDMENTS.
chief: yet that is what has been done in
the case of Grover Cleveland
In the Presidential campaign of 1854
THE SrN would not support Cleveland
and could not support Blaine, whose
conduct in Congress THE Sun had
frequently condemned; so il advocated
the hopeless cause OF Gen. Benjamin
F.. Butler. who had been elected Gov
ernor of Massachusetts in 1882. the
year when Cleveland was chosen Gov
ernor of New York. Dana was not an
admirer of Buffers spectacular army
career, or Of his general political lean
ings, but lie admired him for his atti-
tude IN the Hayes Tiideh scandal. and
he believed that Butter. IL elected
President would shake things up in
Washington. THE SIN supported him
las a man 10 be immensely preferred
to either of the others and as a pro-
test against such nominations" Dana
personally announced that sooner than
support Blaine he would quit work
and burn his pen.
In 1885. opposing Cleveland's free
trade policy TIE Sun vigorously sup
ported Samuel J. Randall OF Pennsyl-
vania. a protectionst Democrat, for
Speaker of the House. as against John
G. Carlisle OF Kentucky, a free trader;
but Randall was beaten.
The Sun ridicuied Cleveand's the
cries of civil service reform. although
it believed that real reforms were
needed. On this point Dana wrote in
a letter:
do not believe in the establishment
| In this country Of the German bureau
cratic system. with its permanent staff
OF Office holders who are not responsible
to the people. and whose tenure Of place
knows no variation and no end except
! the end Of life. In my judgment a gem
uine reform Of the evils complained OF is
reached by the vigorous simpliflCaton of
| the machinery OF government. by The re-
peal Of all superfuous laws. the abolition
of every needless Office aud the dismissal
of every needless officer. The true Amer
! lean doctrine on this subject consists in
! the diminution of government, not in its
! increase.
For all OF its opposition TO Cleve-
land. whom ii dubbed the stuffed
| prophet" THE Sun preferred him TO
Gen. Harrison in the campaign OF 1883.
1t feared return to power OF the in
| fuences which it had combated during
the administrations Of Grant and
/ Hayes. Four years afterward, how
ever, TIE SUN was strongly against
I the third nomination of Cleveland.
! In Mr.. Cleveland's second term THE
| Sun supported his course when Dana
| believed it TO be American. While at
| first it considered the President too
mild and concliatory in matters of
I foreign policy. II praised him and his
! Secretary of State Richard Olney, for
/ their stand against Great Britain in
the Venezuela boundary dispute
praised them Just as heartily as It had
condemned Mr., Cleveland's earlier ac-
| tion in the Hawaiian matter, when the
President withdrew the treaty of an
neXation which his predecessor had
sent to the Senate.
THE suns most deadly weapon, ridi
Guile, was constantly in play in the
years OF the Hawaiian complication
! 1t found vulnerable spots in Mr.. Cleve-
lands establishment of the deposed
! Queen Lihuokalani and in the Presi-
! dents sending of commissioner
Paramount" Blount. as-THE. Sun
called him--wthout the advice and
consent of the Senate. As jealous then
as it is to-day of any raid by the EN-
ecutive upon the Constitution or the
powers OF Congress. THE Sun had the
satisfaction Of complete victory In
the Hawaiian matter. ..