New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-12
the Chancellor's political method Of disparag-
ing Parliamentary action,
THE TID1LW1TE G0TERNoRS.

horizon. They were Governors Cleveland OF
New York, Butler of Massachusetts, and Pat
tson of Pennsylvania. The people who nom
mate and elect President after every State
election began at once to erect the successful
Governors into Presidential candidates on the
strength of their tidal-wave maiorities. They
nominated and elected all three Of these
statesmen, and had them in the White House
with their Cabinets around them i'll less than
a week. Meantime, not quite so prominent,
but still looming little lower on the horizon,
was another tidal-wave Governor, to wit /:
Governor Waller of Connecticut. He, too, had
upset Republican majority and been elected
by figures that for a small and doubtful State
might be called overwhelming. We have never
seen it minated that he was liable to receive
the Democratic nomination for President
on that account, it being a sort OF
unwritten law of political parties that
only the large States with double handful
of electoral votes shall furnish the Presiden-
tial candidates But THE TRIBUNE did take
occasion to inject into the discussion of Presi-
dental prospects that about that time filled
the air the casual observation that here was
a tidal-wavc Governor that would mako an
uncommonly good candidate for Vicc-President
on the Democratic ticket. Not but that he
is as fit and, as we think, filter for the first
place than either of the other three, but, as has
been said, the lack of trading capital in
nominating convention fOrbids a State of the
size of Connecticut from aspiring so high.
Of the three conspicuous tidal waivers it may
safely be said, that he of Pennsylvania has
permanently snbsided. Were the National
Convention to be held tomorrow, it is not
likely that Governor Pattison would have
strength enough to trade on for a Cabinet
place Governor Cleveland balanced him
self for a long time between the two
factions of his party with such tolerabc
accuracy as to keep himself in fairly good
position before the country. II was too tick
lish position, however, to keep for any length
of time, and it now looks very much as though
in the last hours of the late session of the
Legislature he had thrown his weight so much
upon the TiIden side As to slump both wings
together and himself between them in n tooth
and-claw fight from which no one will emerge
whole. The other conspicuous tldal-wayer,
Governor Butler of Massachusetts. is more or
less in hot water-for that matter he always
is-and no one can now tell whether he will
be lifted out like a bright and brilliant boiled
lobster, or will inycielc the whole Democratic
party into the pot after him. Of all the three
he retains most vitality. Meantime the Con-
nectcut Governor has been losing no opportu-
mites. He has evidently watched the course
of his colleagues and directed his own
accordingly. The other three, it will be
remembered started of very early with
the exercise of the Executive preroeatiye
in the Use of the vc;o power. Governor
Cleveland used his prcrogativc with consider
able discretion. Governor Pattison rather
spariugy. Governor Butler with free hand.
But it was quite manifest that each one was
magnifying himself with an Interior purpose
when he sent 10 the Legislature his " | forbid
The Governor OF Connecticut paid careful
heed TO their proceedings. 1t occurred to him
that if there was anything to be gained by the
exercise of the veto power he might as well
try it himself even though the veto meant
it does in Connecticut-but
motion to reconsider bare majority being
sufficient to override IT, So late in the session |
he began to wake up his Legislature by send |
ing in vctOcs. Before the adjournment he had |
vetoed more bills than any of his predecessors |
or those even Oh HIS contemporary lfldl- |
wavcrs He was SO lucky, too-pcrhap5 wise
in his vetOes that not one of them, as we rcmem- |
Der, was Overriden-a rather remarkable cir |
when it is considered that Il bare |
majority ovcrrldcs n veto in that State. And |
now that the Legislature has adjourned he has |
added to the list another veto of a bill re-
ducing the taxation of railroad companies, for |
which SO conservative a Republican journal rs
The Hartford COWdnt gives him the warmcst |
praise, saying that he has acted every wisely |
and with a courage that does him the
highest credit All these tidal-wave
Governors have acted as though they
thought the thing to do was to work
their several Presidential "booms" through Il
wise exercise of the veto power. Judged by
this test the little Connecticut Governor is
distinctly ahead of all the rest at the moment
of tins writing. He has beaten them at their
own game and was handicapped at that. If
the Democratic nomination Is to so TO tidal
waver we submit that Governor Thomas NJ.
Waller, of Connecticut, leads the field.
------