The Osceola Times

BRYAN ON CLEVELAND
Nebraska Editor Handles Former President Without Gloves.

Lincoln, Neb., June 23—Grover Cleveland comes in for a severe editorial arraignment this week in the Commoner, Editor Bryan condemning the ex-president for his recent speech at the Tilden Club's "harmony" dinner in New York, his political beliefs, and also his last administration.

Senator Hill is also criticised.

Under the caption, "At Cleveland's Feet," Bryan says, in part:

"His administration, instead of being the fountain of Democracy, sending forth pure streams, became a stagnant pool from whose waters foul vapors arose, poisonous to those who lingered near.

Having debaunched his party, he was offended by its efforts to reform and gave comfort to the enemy.

"Virginius killed his daughter to save her chastity: Cleveland has stabbed his party to prevent its return to paths of virtue. And now, still gloating over his political crimes, he invites the party to return to him and apologize for the contempt which it has expressed for him. Will it? Not unless the principles of Jefferson are forgotten and the work of Jackson cease to inspire."

"If we are to have reorganization, Cleveland himself should accept the presidential nomination. It would be due him: his reinstatement would be poetic justice to him and retribution to those whose Democratic conventions revolted against his un-Democratic conduct. Of course he would get no Democrat votes, but being closer to plutocracy than any Republican likely to be nominated, he might divide the enemy and even Democrats would have what consolation would come from receiving their disappointment in advance.

"Cleveland's speech should be read in full. It answers a useful purpose. It outlines a plan of campaign decided upon by plutocratic elements for which the reorganizers stand. Tariff reform is to be made the issue and the men who voted for McKinley, the high priest of protection, are to carry on a sham battle with their companions of 1896, while the financiers make the dollar redeemable in gold and fasten thereon an asset of currency and branch bank system.

"Trusts are to be denounced in sonorous terms, while the campaign managers mortgage the party to the trust magnates in return for campaign funds. Sometimes imperialism will be denounced, as in the Hopkins, Ill., convention; sometimes ignored, as in Cleveland's speech, but whether denounced or ignored it is a secret and silent power that can compel submission to the demands of the financiers and to the demands of the trust magnates, can compel submission to the demands of exploiters and the representatives of militarism. The fight is between Democracy that means Democracy and Clevelandism, which means plutocracy.

"Every speech made by Cleveland shows more clearly the odiousness of the policies for which he stands. We have, however, more to fear from those who, like Hill, indorse Cleveland's services, but conceal their real purpose in ambitious language.

"Cleveland's speech," says the editor, "shows that the reorganizers do not want harmony, but that their control means abandonment of party position and return to the policies and practices of Cleveland's second administration.

He secured his nomination in 1892