The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-05-21
THE DEMOCRATIC QUANDARY.
from the Chicago Tribune


situation may be as to the outcome of
the Presidential contest, it is bed OF
roses as compared with the Democratic
quandary. The Republicans are merely
puzzled to know which is the most adj
visable of some three courses that are
open to them, and there is already a
certain defniteness about the result.
There are those who believe that Gen.
Grants nomination is practically as
sured. Others contend that the third
termers will not develop the requisite
strength to nominate their candidate on
the first ballot, and that detection will
follow which will result in the nomina-
ton of Senator Blaine. There is a third
class consisting of those who think that
the contest between the ex-President's
adherents and Senator Blaine's following
will be so close that the friends of both
aspirants will agree to unite upon third
person. ALI Republicans-sta
conservatives and hberals-are of the
opinion that, in case of a stubborn con-
fict over the two most conspicuous cam
didates, the prize will fall into the
hands of Mr. Washburne OF Senator
Edmunds, with the chances largely in
favor of the former, and there is no dis
sent to the prediction that the nomina
ton of either of those two gentlemen
will develop the full strength and cordial
support of the rank and file of the
party. The result, of course, is still
doubtful. But on the general record CT
the party every Republican is satisfied,
and all is serene.
The Democrats, on the other hand, are
sorely perplexed by various circum-
stances which promise to embarrass
them no matter what the result Of their
convention may be. There is general
t. cling in the party that Mr.. Tilden has
q mortgage on the nomination. This
produces the same sort Of discomfort
which an individual experiences who
has a debt hanging over him which he
is convinced he cannot pay without
bankrupting himself. Mr. Tilden has
given no sign that he intends to relieve
the Democratic party Of the embarrass-
ment OF his presence. His seizure and
management of the New York Conven-
ton, on the contrary, have indicated his
purpose to urge his claims to the last
He is reported to have more wealth than
ever before, and he demonstrated in 1876
his willingness to employ the large cash
means at command to secure the nomi-
nation and assist in his campaign. He
is not willing to bulge, and the Demo-
Gratis who are opposed to him seem to
be pOwerless to remove him out of the
way, Notwithstanding their numbers and
their distribution over the entire coun-
try. They feel that they cannot elect
Tilden, but their conviction is almost
equally strong that they cannot elect
anybody else without Tlden's active CO.
operation.
Even if it be conceded that the oppo-
sition to Tilden inside the Democratic
party, assisted by the two-thirds rule
which governs that party, shall prove
adequate to his re lection, then the Dem
ocrats are all at sea. They do not seem
to be able to get one strong man out of
a number of commonplace or weak men.
The aspirants for the nomination are
almost as numerous as the party itself.
The "dark horses" include every va
riety of shading, but every one Of them
develops, on examination, some blemish
that makes him unavailable. Hancock.
who is commended as Jess open to obiec-
ton than the other candidates who are
prominently named, will not have his
own State to back him in any case, and
that will be regarded as fatal obiec-
ton. The party will scarcely dare to
run candidate like Bayard, of anti
Union antecedents, though he is the
man they would naturally turn to if he
were regarded as an available candidate.
Last years election in Ohio disposed of
Ewing and Thurman at one blow.
Hendricks is no longer seriously consid-
cred as a candidate for various good
reasons which it is not necessary to re-
count. Then there are score or more
of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES men like Jew
EFT, Paine, Groesbeck, Morrison, En-
glish, and Randolph, who are looked
upon only as forlorn hope. Thus all
is chaos in the Democratic camp.
Y it be assumed that the Democratic
party, after going through the most des-
perate throes of parturition, shall at
last be delivered of candidate who will
not excite any active antagonism in the
party, then the managers will be con-
fronted with dreadful obstacles in the
way of making up platform. They
have no strong national issues to seize
upon. They stand upon State-suprem-
acy ground, but they will hardly dare to
proclaim it as the basis of a Presiden-
tial campaign after having failed to vim
dictate it in four-years' war. There is
no greenback sentiment for them to pro-
pitiate, for silver reconciliation and the
success of the resumption policy have
eliminated all practical dispute as to the
currency. The proposed repeal of the
national Election laws is but one feature
OF the State-supremacy policy, and the
experience which the Democrats had
with this issue after the extra session of
last summer has not encouraged them
to make it prominent in any future ap-