The New York herald., 1879-09-05
The Democratic Dimcuity.

question to decide is, whether they really
want to carry the State? Under ordinary
circumstances this would not be question
to be asked but as matters stand among
the inharmonious democracy it is the one
problem on which all else depends
Mr.. Tilden, the most astute manipulator
in the party, it is well known. originally
held the belief that, for his purposes, it was
on the whole best for the democrats to lose
the State this fall. "New York, he rea-
soned, sis indispensable to the party next
year; if it is lost this year l become indis-
pensable, because in that case l alone can
rescue it," The Western Tild N democrats,
headed by Mr.. Springer, startled him, and
forced him, at least for while, to give up
this plan; but there is reason to believe
that he has got over his fright, for he is un-
doubtedly at this moment determined on
| the denomination of Governor Robinson. To
renominate Governor Robinson is to hazard
defeat it is to invite defeat; 1t is to make sue
| cess improbable, and almost impossible;
| and Mr.. Tilden is not a man who takes
such chances carelessly. He never plays
double or quits; it, when the Convention
| Governor Robinson, that will mean that he
is willing to risk the loss of the State this
year.
At the present moment it is at least
probable that Mr.. Tilden will exercise the
same predominance and control over the
Syracuse Convention which Mr. Conkling
held over that at Saratoga. If he deter
Doh
little doubt that gentleman will be
the candidate Of the Convention.
We believe, further, that the Governor, if
he is nominated, will not get the vote of
the adherents Of Tammany. Those who
cry out that Mr.. Kelly is only clustering
forget that the present organization of
Tammany Hall has been constantly pushed
to the wall by Mr.. Tilden and Governor
Robinson for three years. No quarter has
been shown it by these two demo-
cratic leaders; they mean to either con-
troll Tammany or crush it; and the Tam
many voters understand this. That Mr..
Kelly will be able to carry fifty or sixty
thousand voters with him against Mr.. Rob-
inson we do not believe; but he may con-
that is enough to defeat the man he dis
likes.
If next Wednesday it is found, therefore,
that Mr.. Tilden adheres to his present de-
termination to renominate Governor Rob-
inson, that may, in our judgment, con-
siderably encourage the republicans, be-
cause it will mean that Mr.. Tilden does not
| he to<a 4
cratic this fall or not. On the other hand,
| the anti-Tilden democrats seem to be set
| tling on Sanford Z. Church as q candi-
date, and he is undoubtedly the strongest
man they could select. If he had Mr.. Til
| den's support his nomination would un-
| doubtedly give the State to the democrats.
But suppose he should have Mr.. Tilden's Sc
| Mr.. Tilden should think that it was safer
for his purposes to lose the State than to
| allow so considerable man rs Mr.. Church
to become Governor? In that case the re-
| publicans would still be safe. Tammany
would undoubtedly and enthusiastically sup
port Mr. Church; but the ''hayloft and cheese
press" would largely follow Mr.. Tilden.
talked of by Tammany and so constantly
rejected by the Tilden-R Robinson men-well,
where is there one who will not pretty
certainly fall between two stools The
democrats dare not forget that they
have opposed to them this fall the
most astute, indefatigable and most
uniformly successful political managers
4. he.
friends have always asserted, and with
well founded confidence that he can carry
| New York whenever he wants to. Well, he
has this fall undertaken to carry it. He
has given pledges that it shall go republi-
can. He has forced the Convention to
nominate his candidate, to adopt his plat
form, to create his State Committee. In
short, the party is for the occasion his
party; its success will be his victory; its de-
feat would be his condemnation and dis
grace.
No one will deny that Mr.. Tilden is the
only democrat in the State who can COM
pare, as political manager, with Mr.. Conk-
ling. II it were certain that Mr.. Tilden
were as bent on carrying the State as Mr..
Conkling is, and if Mr.. Tilden knew how
or was able to unite his party, in
that case we should witness this
fall battle between two giants-of their
kind a very interesting struggle, the re-
suit Of which would, we believe, be uncer-
tain 10 the last. But, as we remarked be-
fore, the present attitude of Mr.. Tiden is
that of man not unwilling to lose the
State, and who, therefore, will not put ont
his whole strength or give his whole mind
to the contest.
Can Mr.. Tilden, then, afford to lose New
York this fall after the threats of the West