New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-07
THE GREENB6CK DIVERSION.

II has been suggested repeatedly that 1t may
be mistake to reckon the Greenback ticket
as of no consequence in the Presidential canvass.
The interviews with General Weaver, the
Greenback candidate for President, which
some widely circulated journals have printed,
do not produce much impression, but it is pos
sible that his plans may succeed even better
than he expects. 1t is true that he expects to
carry some States in which there is no reason
able probability that his supporters will have a
plurality but the GreenbacK ticket may be-
come very important element in the cam
paign, even If it has but a small part Of the
success which lie anticipates. Indeed. the
election may be thrown into the House, if only
one State casts it's electoral vote for the Green
back candidate, and in the House it is well
known that neither party, voting by States. can
secure majority without the vote of Mr.. De
La Matyr Greenback member from Indiana.
MIR. Weaver claims that he Will secure the
electo oral votes of Maine. California, Missouri,
sTennessee, Texas, aud Mississippi and per-
snaps Indiana" 1t is probably true that the
only effective opposition to General Garfield in
Maine will come from the supporters of the
GreenDack ticket. The claim that they can
carry the State does not appear well-founded,
but they, and they only, can make hard fight
for it. In some other States the prospects ara
still more against Mr.. Weaver, and yet it will
not do TO ignore the fact that he may carry one
State or more. In some of the Southern
States 1t Is doubtful whether the Democratic
party can run any ticket IL the Greenbackers
are in earnest But the difficulty there is that
the men who count the votes Will not permit
Il 20 no fh.,,
States In opposition to the White League can
didate. If General Weaver can give assurance
that there shall be an honest count of the
votes in some Southern States, the Republi-
cans will meet hm in honest competition for
the votes of at least four of them.
The strength of the Greenback candidate
will be felt in those Northern States the vote of
which Is In doubt In New York, for example,
the Greenback party can secure several electoral
votes If they can cause the vote to be apportoned
according to the principle of minority repre-
sentation-in proportion to the votes cast for
the different candidates. That party claims
and believes that 1t could secure still larger
representation from NewYork If the electors
should be chosen by the Congressional districts.
Perhaps it may petition the Governor for OPP
portnnity to test Its strength Ii that way. But
10 is evident.th strong vote may be cast for
the Greenback candidate. not only In Con
necticut. where the supporters of that ticket
have refused to unite with the Democrats, but
IN other States.
. The Greenback candidate would undoubtedly
secure the votes of some Southern States if
those votes were free. 1t happens that he will
contest some Of those States with strong reason
to expect success unless defeated In the count.
Hence 1t may come to pass thatIthe Greenbaok
party may hold tho balance ofipower when the
votes como to be counted. If the House insists
upon counting them. Mr. Weaver thinks that
his party can SECURE the electors from four