New-York tribune., 1879-09-10
TILE SrRAcrSE CONTENTION.

THE SYRACUSE CONTENTION.
The Democratic Convention which meets at
Syracuse may not improbably determine the
future of the party for some years Under
ordinary circumstances, it is folly to expect
that Democrats who quarrel before n0ml-
nntion Will not be found voting together at
the election. When men differ only about The
division of the spOls, as in every case. the
Democrats do, 1t usually happens that the
beaten party concludes that u ha'f a LOAF !
better than no Bread and sticks to the or
ganization in order 60 have better claim
for half loaf in future. In this case, how
ever. the Fights about the spoiS only but
there is no chanrc OF half loaf for the beaten
party. 1t is "Nar to the Igiife, and the knife
/" to the hit :" not because the chief com
batants wish II, perhaps, but because the cir
cumstances are such that they cannot possibly
avoid it, For one or The other, for hr. Tllden
or for Mr. Kelly, this battle must end in pO-
litcal extinction, and they both know it. 1t
Governor Robinson should be nominated and
elected, there Is no room to doubt that he
would break mp Tammany Hall completely,
and forever destroy It's influence in the party.
Mr.. Kelly and his associates, therefore, have
something to gain but nothing 10 lose; IL Is
possble for them tO force the Democrats Of
the State TO fear their power and their pluck,
but it is not possible, by any conceivable
Welding. to avert the death-bow which would
fall if Governor Robinson should be elected
again, nor to modify, in any other way than
by inspiring a selfish fear. the hatred which
the country Democrats already feel toward
Tammany.
70 not 1aac inutt tn
Yields. and permits Governor Robinson TO be
set aside at the threat of Tammany. he knows
we'll that the same threat will be made,
with infinitely greater power, to set him aside
as a Presidential candidate. If he yields now,
he tells the whole world that his supporters
cannot carry NewYork, and do not dare to
try, against the opposition of Tammany. In
that case, he knows that the scaping- knife
will be sharpened for him. and used
without pity. On the other hand, if
he nominates Governor Robinson and gets
beaten in the State his prestige will be
much impaired But OH that side he has a
possible way of escape; he can still claim
that he alone, as candidate for the highest
Office in the gift of the people, can carry the
State, and that Tammany would not venture,
in Presidential election, To attack him. All
the indications are that MI. Tilden means to
take the latter chance, insist upon the nomi-
nation of Governor Robinson, and then de-
mand nomination for the Presidency Oh tho
ground that no one else can possibly carry
this State.
Apparently Mr. Tilden is influenced in some
degree by the fact that Governor Robinson
can no longer be pat aside without arousng
Lo
among his supporters. With HIM it has be-
come u personal matter. His feeling is like
that of one who said that " he could face
death with some equanimity, III any ordin-
cary form, but he did not propose to be
kicked to death by that muIe.' If Gov
ernor Robinson could get out of harms way
with honor, perhaps he might be willing but
to be kicked out OF the GOvernOrship by Tam
many-that he caunO. enducc The Democrats
of the country districts, too, have intense
feelings on the subject and 1t is quite
probable that when Mr.. TIden was warned
by the Western Democrats that he must bar-
monize his party IN Ncw-York, and began to
consider how be could gracefully thrust Gov
crnor Robinson to the rear, he discovered that
the bitterness Of feeling which such step
must cansc wonld do him more harm than
open defeat at the hands OF Tammany.
1t is very pretty quarrel rs it stands"
but Republicans have no business to count
upon it, in any degree whatever for their own
success. They can carry this State by
such faithful, tireless, earnest work as
has been done by the Republicans OF
Maine. even though all the Democrats
should be united, with the strongest possible
ticket. They have 10 right, then, to omit any
part of that effort in the hope that Demo
cratic dissensions will help them. The chances
are always greatly against such division Of
Democratic voters at the polls, and. though
this may be the one chance in Il thousand.
Republicans would he guilty OF extreme folly if
they should trust 10 it. This warning will apply
with equal force and truth, even though there
should be a formal split in the Convention Mt
Syracuse. At any hour prior to the election
il will still be possible for the Democrats TO
patch up their differences, because there is