National Republican., 1883-07-20
The Editors of Three Great New York Papers
Interviewed by the Herald"
They All Agree in Commenting Presi-
dent Arthur's Administration.
Mr.. Dana Still Insists that Tilden Couldn't Be COaxed
TO Take the Presidency.
Views OF Mr.. Reid and MFR. Hastings on
All the Candidates.


bilities and possibilities with Charles A. Dana,
Whitelaw Reid, and Hugh Hastings. They
make decidedly racy reading, the comments
on public men and their chances being in
striking contrast to the guarded or intention
ally malicious and always selfish uttorances
of professional politicians.
MIR. CHARLES A. DANA.
Mr.. Dana expressed a decided preference
for q late democratic convention and Saratoga
was his choice of places.
"If the republicans hold their convention
in july" he said, land the democrats delay
theirs until the latter part of August or the
first of September, what position are the re
publicans in2 What have they to fight2 For
six weeks or two months they are a target for
the democrats but they have nothing TO at
tack themselves. And, besides, u campaign
of six eight weeks is long enough. A
short contest saves great deal Of ammuni-
tion; and n long one is of service to men who
are paid for speaking, TO printers of hand
bills, and camp followers generally only. 1
believe in o short campaign. Whoever is nom
mated will be well known to the country at
large We are thus spared anxiety, and
thought and labor in the hot months, too"
81 more than seriously believe that Mr.
Tilden is out of the race. cannot conceive
of any intelligent mind believing for an in
slant that Mr.. Tilden would again consent to
be candidate. 1t is absolutely out of the
question. Nothing on earth could induce him
to run again."
But Mr.. Watterson evidently thinks diff
ferently."
al don't speak for Mr.. Watterson, nor do l
entirely understand the purport of his COM
munications. / do know, however, that Mr.
Tilden is nota and will not be a candidate. He
is absolutely out, and no power can get him
in again. If it lay in my hand to decide who
should be president, it would be William S.
Iln1H nf INNHt haa sod IN.N
term in congress, where he is known as the
great objector,' and has probably killed more
jobs than any other man. Still | hear of no
delegates from Indiana for him."
"Who, thenP
"Joe Mcdonald, of Indiana, has a good
chance 1t must be accepted as an axiom
that no man can be nominated without a
united delegation from his own state"
But will Mr.. Hendricks consent"
That's the question. If he does, and Mr.
Mcdonald thereby has solid Indiana dele
CATION, he has a first rate chance"
Does Mr.. English possess any forceP"
"Not the slightest. That is, not in a prob
lem Of this gravity. In his own locality he
mPy have influence; but of that even ]
know nothing. John NJ. Palmer, of Illinois,
would be capital candidate"
" How do you regard Arthurs chancesW
"Variously. We cannot ignore the fact
that no accidental president has ever sue
ceeded in securing nomination. He has
the power-which is very great-of the pa
tronage but somehow it never effects the de-
sired purpose. Tyler, Fillmore, and Andy
johnson are examples. In the time of each
there was violent disruption in the party,
and great opposition, which Arthur will not
encounter. Arthur might be able to carry
united delegation from New York. Cornell
would like to, but cannot. FOlgcr cannot"
- do not think Conkling would aid
Arthur. His attitude is to be that of entire
abstention. He will probably keep out of
public life and let tho others SEQ how they
can manage without him, while he devotes
himself to the practice of law"
"There Is no one in the cabinet?"
None except Gen. Gresham. l regard him
us perfectly pure, upright, honest, able man.
/ could almost exhaust the English language
in his praise"
"Would you support him for president?"
mo; nor any other republican. The re
publicans must CO."
"of what other names do you think in the
democratic party?"
Randall would do well Pattison is out
of the race, and Randall would be better than
he, Curtin would make good president"
On what issues will the fight be fought ?'
On one-the democrats will fight to put
the republicans out, and the republicans will
fight to keep themselves in"
But the tariff"
Nonsense. The tariff has just gone into
opeIuJlon, anu no party VIII Know enough Oh
its effect on affairs to warrant its interference
with it, as party measure, pro or con. No
party will ever be willing to disturb the
whole business of the country on an uncer-
tainty.'
81 regard Mr.. Maine as entirely out of the
question because his friends say SO and be-
cause he could not expect, after two failures,
to succeed now."
Have you read Mr., Watterson's assertion
about Mr. Tilden?"
''Yes. 1t is tho assertion of well meaning
but uninformed friend of Mr.. Tilden. | am
able to say that as Mr. Tilden in 1880 de-
clined nomination which he could have had
if he would it would be absurd in 1854, when
he will be four years older and much more
infirm and moro dcsirous of peace and quiet,
to expect him to regard it with fdvor. l
know that under no circumstances will Mr..
Tilden accept the nomination, no matter how
unanimous or pressing it may be-"
MR. wHGrELAw REID.
For the republicans Mr.. Reid preferred an
early convention and a long campaign, Sara
tOga being his choice of places for holding the
convention.
~ have no presidential preference" he
said. Spectators, political or other, may
be amused, but men who know anything
worth knowing remember that presidential
regulations are often made after this date of
the previous year that it takes u man of
miraculously long wind to run from July,
1883, until November, 1884, and not get COM
pletely blown, and that the too previous
candidates who insist upon getting to the
front about this time usually get to the rear
before all is done.'
"Do you think Hoadly will carry Ohio?"
II do not, and If he does not his boom
will be ended. At present Mr. Randall seems
TO be in the van of democratic candidates."
''Do you really regard Mr.. Blaine us out of
the feld?'
81 do. If he chose he could be stronger
presidential candidate now than he was in
1876 or in 1880 But it is known that he has
peremptoriy refused to be considered a can
didate or TO let his friends work for him.
He has now been out of public life for nearly
half presidential administration. He says
he has no desire to return, and has found
new and congonial work in which he is en-
crossed. In nutshell that is the whole story"
How do you feel about Arthur"
"Since he gave up the leadership of fac
tion he has steadily grown aud is very much
stronger than he was. The people saw what
he did and applauded and sympathized with
him. He stands better to-day before the
country than at any previous period in his
whole official life"
MR.. HUGH HASTINGS,
Mr.. Hastings preferred Saratoga, early con-
yention, and long campaign, that people may
be informed with regard TO the great issues.
There Is" he said" one very great issue, and