The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-12-12
GOTHAM POLITICS.
The Managers Must See that the
Ticket is Correct,
And that all the Factions are Repre-
scented, or the Work is Vain
..-XIOw Arthur
Stands.

CINCINNATI, Dec 19.-The Enquirer's New
York correspondent telegraphs: | was talk
ing day or two ago to Hiram Calbins, who
has been under different Democratic admins
trations clerk of the Albany legislature, and
has been on equally good terms with HoratiO
Seymour and Roscoe Conking. Said l:
"What do you think about matters in this
state politicaliyp
No state in the union changes politically as
often as New York does Politically it is tho
most uncertain state in the union. That is
the reason outsiders can not comprehend the
politics of New York. Nevertheless, it is the
battle ground for 1884,
''What do you consider to be the secret of
these changes"
There is no secret about it, but it is the
result of natural causes easily understood
and just as easily guarded against. The poll
ticians who a,sG.ne Inc management of the
two parties do not study these causes with
sagacity, or are too dumb to be advised of
them"
"Gfve me some point as a header"
SIN the first place, New York has the
largest voting population of any state in the
union. There are almost q million and a
quarter of voters in this state 1t takes only
change of three or four votes in every
hundred to wipe out an ordinary majority
on one side and place it ON the other. An
offensive management of a state convention
or of a state campaign by the leaders of
either party will stampede the voters. 1t has
been done time and time again, and yet the
leaders do not get at the bottom facts"
Give me a bottom fact" said l.
"The Republican party said Mr.. Calkins,
" has now been IN power about thirty years.
In that period neither political party in New
York has once elected all its candidates on the
state ticket except when all the factions or
elements in the party had representatives on
that ticket Now, when both parties recog-
nize all the factions in the party in the make
up of the ticket, the politics of New York be
comes national; the voters lose sight of things
at home when they are compactly agreed,
| and they give their attention to things of ma
tional moment
''Why are there so many factions in New
| York politics"
"Because when there is a good fat majority
/ for either party, Immediately the leaders of
factions start up.to get possession of the pat
| ronage and they wreck the party next year.
! The Republicans, for instance, have particu-
larry had two factions in tfiisi state Horace
| Greeley for years undertook TO drive the Sew
ard faction to the rear, and finally drove him
| self clean out Of the party Our state politi-
| clans lose their prudence after great vie
| tory and throw the state away the next year
| After biz victory the party leaders get
more and more arbitrary and reckless in the
exercise Of their power"
do you regard the state of New York as
naturally Democratic or Republican,
| Il regard it as Democratic. This year the
| Democrats elected all their state candidates
but one, following a sweeping victory last
! year The Republicans never have done as
well the next year following big victory a,
| the Democrats did this year
Mr.. Calkins then gave a history of New
| York politics from 1856, and showed thai
whenever the leaders had refused to look &
the interest of various elements of the par
ties, that party which parted in this particu
| lar was beaten.
Now" said Calkins, "you have got the
whole story In making up state tickets il
| New York you have got to consider interest:
and factions, and il you attempt to omit any
element You will he sure to catch it at the
polls If the Democrats behave respectfully
toward each other they ought to carry thi.
state next year The Republicans will have
on their hands the succession to President
Arthur, which is likely to make bad blood.
talked TO Shed Shook on politics, He
said it would be impossible for Arthur to gel
a solid delegation from New York under the
rule guaranteeing the Independence of dis
tricts and that Arthur's chief fear was Elk
Gov. Cornell, the only politician in the stat
who systematically worked upon his organi
zation, and had two lieutenants like Jak,
Hess and Jake Patterson right in the city o
| New York.
Senator Warner Miller is against Arthur.
HiScock, WadswOrth aud Peckham are fo
Blaine. Baynes, Of PIttsburg, Allison and
Foster also are for Blaine. Sherman, too
courts Blaine. Mott May says either Arthu
or Blaine will do. Blaine thinks Morrison
will be nominated by the Democrats, but re
CARDS Mr.. Hewitt as their best man to rul
we'll