Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-20
THECANVASS OF1SS4
Influential Western Democrats, Taking
Time by the FOrelOek, are Deter
mined on a Western NOm-
inee for
The Presidency-Tilden Cannot be Car
ried by the Party, and Second Ex-
pertinent Cannot be Tried
With Hancock.

fishes a letter from Chicago, dated the 18th,
which says that since the gathering OF the
members of the State Central Committee and
other leading lights of the Democratic party
at Springfield last week tn question of per-
fecting an organization having in view the
selection OF some Western man to head the
national ticket in 1884 has been quietly dis
cussed. Leading Democrats in Chicago aud
in other parts of the State think that the
time has arrived when something ought 10 be
done in that direction, and base their opin-
ion upon what they deem to be necessary to
assure success In the next national campaign.
They are satisfied that the day has passed
when the party can carry Mr.. Tilaen, and
think it is about time that some one else WAS
thought of besides him in order to heal up
party differences in New York. They feel
very friendly toward General Hancock, but
are of the opinion that his selection again
the Standard bearer would not begin TO
inspire az great an enthusiasm az some new
man. His nomination, they believe, would
be good deal like warmed over meal, and,
besides, as a general rule, with defeat once
the risks a second time in an important cam
yass have been found damper upon the peo-
pie and too oppressive for success. They
have no choice in view, and do not care
whether the man halls from Ohio Indiana,
Illinois or any Western State 30 long as he is
a good one, popular and abreast OF the times.
the nomin ton TO come West. The pros
pect for national victory they consider as
excellent. Events in Pennsylvania Ohio,
New York and Illinois, they hold, are shap-
ing themselves most fayorab. y for the ascend
aucy of the party, and that ascendancy they
do not want 10 zee jeopardized by the schem-
ing OF set of Eastern politicians. The East
has had its honors, and now they desire
them to be parsed around to the West.
are satisfied that the dissensions and
splits in the party in the East would be
allayed and all would work in harmony and
brotherly love for the success Of the ticket.
All this, they are convinced, would be a GER
tainty if some Western man is chosen. Just
how this subject is regarded may be judged
by the statements OF a leading Democrat in
the State. He is a conservative, we'll in
formed and a careful student of all passing
and past political events. He yields con-
siderable political influence, and his ideas
on the question were related to your CORE
spondent yesterday, with a bit OF history of
the party from its inception to the present.
"The Democratic party as a distinctive
organization with name and local habita-
ton came before the country" he said, "iR
1928, when Andrew Jackson was elected to
the presidency. Since then there have been
FIVE Democratic administrations at varying
intervals, and, with one exception, in every
presidential campaign the candidates of the
party have emanated either from the East
or the South. The exception was in 1860,
when Stephen A Douglas was a can
didate, but perhaps | ought not to except him,
as he ran independent of the regular Dem
ocratic nomination. Still he was Demo-
crat all the same on the main issues. But
passing that, it is a fact that the West has
inyari sbly been ignored by the party lead
ers, and so the choice has always fallen in
the direction / have just indicated. With
out calling into question the wisdom OF the
selections l think the time has now arrived
when party leaders should consider the adj
visibility and advantage OF taking the next
time Western man as standard bearer of
the party. Since 1860 the Republican party
has chosen all its presidents from the West,
and whether that, in connection with other
things, has had the potent effect of electipg
them or not, 1t cannot be doubted that pop
ular confidence has been strengthened by
belief that in Western man they have had
in each instance one who came nearer to
their hearts, and in whom greater reliance
could be placed than in an Eastern or South
ern one whose education and training had
laid more largely in an atmosphere of wealth
and arstocracy. Be that as il may, the fact
nevertheless remains that the West has never
been houored with a regular Democratic
nomination. 1t is therefore high time that
as well IS those of the party. 1t may be
urged that the West has had its full share
of presidential honors in the past admins
trations and that the people will be willing
to see the presidency go East the next time
inasmuch as Democracy If going to win and
the East hiss not had a regularly constituted
president OF its own for about half a CENTURY.
This is all well enough, but the presidency
has not as yet done with the West, and the
IL 10 fill,
reach any other section than the West. Ger
tainly the West has an abundance of availa-
BILE material. 1t has able and gifted men
who would grace and dignity the position.
1t has over third OF the population of the
United States and about 5000 miles more
railroads than all the other sections of the
country combined. Its manufacturing and
industrial interests are also in advance of
the other portions of the country, and its
wealth is rapidly treading close upon the
heels OF the East. All this indicates its i'm
portance, both from a social, political and
commercial standpoint. With a Western
man we can easily carry Ohio, Indiana and
Illinois, and with those States thus assured
the ticket can be elected by very large ma
jority."
But how" asked your correspondent,
"can you induce the Eastern politicians to
come to the opinion that you and other Dem
BY showing the people that such course
is not only eminently just and proper, but
essential to the success of the party, and
when once the mass of the adherents of the
party take that view the pressure will be too
strong for any set of men or would-be polit
ieal bosses to ignore it. Our party is pre-
eminently one of the people, and the people
rule. We have been cursed with assumed
bosses, but fortunately not to that extent
L
What few have engrafted themselves upon
the party have ruined themselves by their
monkey and parrot fights, and saved the
party the trouble OF crying them down.
Still there are few at the East who aspire
to control the nominations in the interests OF
the territories east of the Alleghanies, but
agitation in the West will force them to con-
cede the next time something to this section
of the country. They ought 10 give the
Western people chance to show what they
can do, and think our people will assert
their claims"
an what way Is it proposed to bring about
this resultY
"By organization and agitation. Just how
the organization will be formed is yet too
early for determination. In organization is
strength, influence and success, and to that
has been largely due the control OF conven-
tons by Eastern men IN the past
ITO bring the nomination 10 this part of
the land, what other inducements besides
those you have already urged can be msde?"
"There are great many, but 1 have not
the time or inclination at present 10 state
them. may add, however, one thing more.
Our people have n strong claim the
ground of the votes that are scattered
throughout the West. The total vote cast
in the Hancock Garfield case was S,SS4, 9S5.
Dividing this by three to represent the three
conventional sections OF our country-East,
South and West-and subtract the vote of
the Western States from it, and we find that
We have nearly 100000 more voters than
either of the other sections. Thus you see
we are not to be ignored, and must be taken
into consideration. l am no sectionalist, but
l think it no more than fair that the presi-
Dental nomination should go around. We
shall insist upon it, and no doubt secure it.
.tInl liczht I'd Tiara and IL