The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-24
TIE DEMocRArIC OUrLOOK.
Gov. Hobinsan-Vvhat he Says and What the
Politicians shy About Him.

| llnO u now cunuluule LOT 0oNtTupI 1 Itul)
| don't want the office. am getting too old to be
useful. My health is not very good. and need
rest / am not Indifferent to the honors that
have received from the Democratic party, and
/ am deeply grateful for the measure OF sup
| port accorded mo- sometimes from unexpected
| quarters. during my executive term. But |
would like to retire ut the end Of this year"
| Ho was reminded that his services were
needed by tho party: that II he left his friends
in the lurch at this iuncture he would endanger
| the prospect OF success. and give aid and COM
fort to the opposition. He thought not. and in
no immodost strain no fell into discussion OF
the relative strength OF men and parties. touch
ing incidentally on the fact that three years ago.
when Gov. Seymour declined the nomination,
1t seemed to many Democrats that the state was
certainly lost But it turned out that the ma
| jority was as large, or nearly rs large. rs 1t
could have been under any circumstances
Tho Governor was asked il he would refuse n
nomination II 1t were rendered him by the next
Democratic Convention. He replied that he
could not answer that question definitely ut
present 1t would depend somewhat on the
condition 81 his health. and other considera-
tons. II through no effort Of his own tho
nomination came to him unanimously he
might take it, but his desire and hope were to
retire.
|
| public favor by an expcctant candidate. But in
| Lucius Robinson's case IL is nothing Of the sort.
| He means precisely what he says. Probably no
other man in the long line OF those who have
| filed the Governors chair in the State OF New
York was 50 FREQ from official vanity rs the
| present Executive Is. In his case, ut lcnst. the
sense OF duty absorbs the sense Of importance.
! lie never pastures for applause or attempts to
make a show OF himself. II he had chosen to
fall in with tho prevailing Albany fashion. and
echoed the praises Of the new Capitol, this
winter the first families Of this ancient town
| would have showcred him with unstintei
! praise. But he boldly denounced the eNtrava-
gauce Of the job and shocked the aesthetic
| sense Of Albany hy declaring that in his opinion
| the old Executive Chamber was moro comiorta-
| bic than the now. Through tho two years OF
| ms Term the spirit OF sturdy lndepthuehcy nus
| have his word respected. IL may be- accepted,
therefore. as certainty that Coy. Robinson will
nut forth no effort 20 capture the Convention.
| II he Is nominated it will be because the party
| demands his services and not because he seeks
GOV. Robinson's attention was called to the
plan set forth some time ago In this corresponds
| cnce for promoting harmony in the Democratic
| ranks by renominntng the whole OF the old
| ticket He shook his head rather impatienty
Il don't believe in compromises" he said.
| Apart from the Governor. II the present
board Of state officers are acceptable To the
people, II they are working tremendously to-
gcther. and II they want another term. there
would appear 10 be no objection 90 renominatlng
them. But ID the idea is TO merge opposing poll
icics. and throw sops to warning iactious-if
you expect to strengthen the party by bringing
together men who are unfricndly, and who rep
! resent uutdgoni-tlc opinions. you may count IN
advance on failing. Compromises are always
the work of the politiciaus-n"Ne OF the people
! All cunning devices Tor escaping quarrel5
originating in honest differences OF opinion
are looked on with contempt by the voters. Let
every public officer be Judged Oh his record {;
hut make nohodys nomination conditional on
the carrying out Of prearranged bargain.
Gov. Robinson has been troubled about his
eyes for some years past. His failing sight
warned him against oNcrwork IN writing and
| reading. or late. however. he has undergone
some successful treatment, ana the promise -
that his vision will be fully restored. Ii was
never so obscure but that he could see and
throttle every Legislative Job that came before
| him. His general health is excellent. lie is in
his 69th year, but his rugged frame shows no
skins OF physical decay. II he has not AZ least
ten years oi vigorous work before him his up-
! pearuucr bellies his powers % endurance. lie
IL six months younger than GOV Seymour, but
nearly four years older than Mr.. Tilden. More
tlan forty years ago MR. Robinson was District
Attorney OF Greene County. where lie was born.
lie began his law studies in the ofllce OF Gen.
Erastus Root, and completed them under
Amasa j. Parker, who today looks into To- De u
ernor passed nearly fifteen years In the prac-
tce OF his profession i'm New YORK city, ana re-
there Is comfortable but unpretentious.
With ayiew 20 a-certainlng the drinof public
| opinion as 20 the availability of Gov. Robinson
for reelection questioned politician ui prom
inencc with the following result;
lutlNN Robinson - NOT urn. buk obstinate
/ his UOstinacy is not heroic. but mulish. - TAR
from guiding his conduct uy public consdera
tons Dee is always moved 10y personal malice or
friendship. Look at ne new Naplol Hpprora-
tion. He had notion that his friend, tile Comp
| truAcr ought to have the exclusive spending Of
that money. and rather than permit IT 10 pass
| through the hands OF the Commissioners. he set
out 10 stop the work. 50 he vetoed the HpprO-
prlAtlon Of million dollars and declared that
no more money should bc expended for that
| purpose But while his party was trying To cN-
| plain and defend his conduct he wheeled
]
that which he vetoed, except that II appropriated
half million instead OF million. Was there
anything firm or heroic about thutf Take his
treatment OF the New York city Democrats. IL
wis hand and glove win Tammany during the
first SIX months Of his term. lie was ready 10
do anything that was wanted. and was greatly
pleased az the reception rendered him al the end
Of the legislative session. But because Tam
in 1871 and vote for the denomination OF certain
state officers who had made themselves oNee-
tionhble 10 inc ucople, No hhde an immediate
alliance with its enemies and used his official
power to inIure the organization. Was there
anythlng pitt personal Mallce ana splte III th"l
Moreover. he Is intensely jealous ana SUSPECT
on. Of all the other public men IN the State eN-
crpt Mr. Illden whose favor he buys 10y serNile
devotion. one little incident Will illustrate nay
menning. HoHuo Seymour stepped aside IN
1876 to make way for Mr.. Robinson Seymour
> could have been Governor without m effort
but me- would not take IT, and all through the
forward. But after the election, when GOV
} = seymour urged the APPOINTMENT OF his nephew
= the present state Ensuegrl 70 the oiiite Of
q Only ignored the recommendation, but went oui
of his way To nominate u man whom lie mao
. ! bern requested by Gov. Seymour not TO ap-
{ | point. Does not that look moro like zig
| headed peryersuy than herolsm2 Take his
t treatment Of Charley Walker. Charley Is u,
most popular Democrat in tho southern tier OF
r. counties. and WIS elected 10 Congress from III,
- strongest Republican district in tho state. liz
. had been a personal lrlcud of Robinson iOl
( more than twenty years. lie WIS urged by his
constituents to he "A candidate Tor Supenutend
4 cut OF Pubic Works. With his usual lrankues,
! he went To the Governor and said: Ii II vii
I cmbarrass you at all 10 have me candidate,
| Will withdraw. The Governor replied: | d,
( not want you to withdraw. You are my ilrs
n choice for the onlce.' And then in Just thirty
a minutes without a word OF warning To Walker
p | Robinson sent TO the Senate the nAme ot Ne
: | Cleilan Do you think a man can play that kin,
n | of q game and retain the confidence Of the PEG
3 ple2 His treatment of senator kcrnun ha
10 b.en ms bad rs 1t could be. The Senator ha
n asked very few fayors at his hands. but thos
8 few have been clyalicry refused. And yet II /
i had not been for Mr.. Herman > support, Robin
son could not have been nominated for Comp
trOler IN 1879. nor for Governor in 1916. Luol
at the appointment OF Smyth for Superintendent
of the Insurance Department. That is the mos
= importunt oili'e in the state 1t gives a MAJ
y arbitrary power oyor interests involving ilN
Il hundred million dollars. Smyth 5 characte