The Portland daily press., 1878-02-05
The Old Candidate and the New DemOc-
racY.

What time the Democratic leaders can
spare from the work of slander,-"investga-
tion'' they call it-they are devoting to presi.
dent-making. The Western men though un-
able to agree upon candidate are in accord
on one point, the necessity of killing off Til
den. That astute old politician declines
however to be dead man, and reminding his
opponents that without him the funeral can't
60 on, perseveres in his demand for renom-
ination. His men are in the field and are
putting in many good days work. They
point to the facts that he polled larger vote
than any Democratic candidate ever before,
that he is the best organizer the party has
had for years, and that he will spare neither
labor nor money to achieve success. They claim
that he is the only man who can carry New
York, and ask how victory can be won with
out that State. Their strongest card they
think, is the fraud cry"; but as few Demo
Gratis really believe any fraud was committed
except by the Louisiana bull-dozers, the cry
does not excite their sympathies very strong
ly. Mr.. Tilden's strongest hold upon the
Democracy is the belief that he is the only
man in their ranks who can secure the elec-
toral vote of New York. 1t was this belief
that gave him the united support of the
South at st. Louis. But the South is not
miaded to take him again if by any possiblli-
ty another candidate as strong can be found.
His letter on Southern claims has alienated
the Southern leaders, and his vaclllating
conduct in the troublous time of the electo-
raj controversy has convinced them that he
has not the requisite audac:ty to carry out
their purposes. Still they will support him
in preference to taking the chances OF defeat
with weaker candidate.
The West has always dsliked Tilden, and
only accepted him as disagreeable necessity
in 1876. Its dislike has deepened as the
financial issue has become more prominent.
The leading Western Democrats, knowing
they could do nothing without the South,
have been trying to raise some question Oh
which they can secure a majority of electoral
votes without the aid of New York. They
think they have succeeded As the last cam
paign was fought on platform of general
discomfort the next is to be fought on one of
general cussedness. The Democratic organi-
zation is to be sort of cave of Adullam. 1t
is to embrace all the varied rascalty of the
country. All who believe in the postpone
ment of resumption, in the imitation Of the
currency, in the reputation of the debt, in
the destruction Of the banks, in the granting
of subsidies to railroads, in the payment of
Southern claims, in the construction of the
Mississippi levies, in the abolition OF interest,
in all the wild schemes of communism, are to
be gathered in to this new Democratic party.
The money-changers are to be driven from
the Democratic temple. The loss Of New
York, Connecticut and New Jersey is to be
more than made up by the gain of Western
States. This is the scheme which the West
ern demagogues hope to carry through with
the aid OF the solid South. Doubtless they
will fail, for they count upon dishonesty in
the West which does not exist. But they
appear determined to make the attempt.
There will be no little curiosity as to the
course to be taken by the Eastern Democracy.
If they are faithful to their traditions they
will submit, as they submitted so long to the
slave power. But they may rebel as they did
in 1860. They will certainly have sufi-
ceut provocation.