New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-31

THE NAN WITH THE LADDER.

A small billow Of discussion is passing over
the Democratic press concerning the proper
place, or the best place, for holding the next
National Convention. 1t seems early yet to
aeitate the question, as the Convention will
not probably meet for almost, If not quite, a
wear. But the National Committee will meet
within a few months to fix upon time and
place, and it is not strange that the advocates
of particular places for the Convention should
begin to press their claims at this early day IN
order to gain for them the favorable consider
alton of the Committee. indianapolis,
Cincinnati Chicago, st. Louis, Louisville,
Baltimore, Saratoga and several other cities
have been named, and their eligibility urged
for a variety of reasons. THE TRIBUNE does
not expect to be consulted in the matter, or to
have it's preference regarded, If 1t has any,
and we consequently take no part IN the dis
cusson OF the claims of the various localities.
But we do have such high regard for the
Democratic party, and are so profoundly
anxious that it should escape being imposed
upon and made the victim OF misplaced
confidence. that even at the risk of being
considered meddlesome we venture to make
single suggestion.
So far as most of the candidates are con-
cerned, we apprehend that il will make very
little difference where the Convention is held
1t might he held in indianapolis without being
captured by Mr.. Mcdonald or Mr. Hendricks,
or in Cincinnati without being carried off by
.Judge Hoadly or in Chicago without danger
of being kidnapped by John NJ. Palmer or
LYMAN Trumbull, or even in Tammany Hall
in this city without being inundated by John
Kelly or purchased by Mr. Tilden. But there's
another candidate-and he carries ladder.
He scales third-story windows III the dead
hours of the night; he takes possession OF
convention halls he is found in occupation at
the hour of meeting, and the first thing the
marty knows he sails away with the nominal
ton under bis arm. In so quiet and law
abiding a State as Massachusetts, and In the
very heart of the Commonwealth we have seen
him do Just that within the past few years. lie
wanted the nomination for Governor, and he
simply got ladder and climbed into
third-story window of Mechanics Hall in
Worcester between the hours of three and
four in the morning, and took it. He was not
elected that year, but the next time he
wanted the nomination the party handed it
right over to him without word. He is
now the Governor of Massachusetts.
1t is also generally believed that he is
candidate for the Democratic nomination for
President If he is, all we have to say is that
the Democratic National Committee cannot
he too careful where they hold the COnven-
ton, nor too careful about guarding the APP
proaches to the hall for several days before
the meeting. 1t would be but ordinary pre-
caution to have iron shutters on the windows.
Again we say the Committee cannot be too
careful IN this matter. This man means
business when he goes for nomination. he
carries ladder on his shoulder-he has been
making friends in Massachusetts for the past
six months by carrying it through the
crowd and turning round suddenly every
few minutes to see if anybody was laugliin
at him. 1t will not do to desplse him because
he has no friends and does not seem formid-
able The great thing to be borne In mind
constantly is that he carries ladder. we
NAV seem to our Democratic friends to be
meddling with what does not concern u.s. but
we have seen the good, nice, proper, respecta-
bic Massachusetts, emocracy-including Frank
Bird and Judge AbbOt-captured once by this
man with a ladder, and now that he seems to be
moving with it toward a National COnven-
ton we cannot refrain from sounding the
alarm.
Wherever the Convention is held, let it be
fortified against the man with the ladder. 1t
would give us great pam to see all the South
ern Democrats who have been expressing
so freely of late on Presidential
candidates walk into the front door of con-
yenton that had already been captured by
means of a ladder at the rear.