New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-23

The question of the hour, in inner Demo
cratic circles, is this "Will Cleveland with
draw ?" The organs keep mp their Boosting
and their clattcr having no character to lose.
But the shrcwdcr men of the Democratic party
are considering, with long faces and bowed
heads. whether the man can be made to with
draw. and if NE does, whether any good can
come Of 1t.
If the Democrats had taken The TRIBrNEN
advice. they would not have nominated this
candid to- and would not now be in this pickle
Gnt they most foolishly imagined tina, The
TEIrrNE was as dishonest as themselves and
was deliberately asserting that Mr.. Cleveland
was their weakest candidate because 1t really
thought him their strongest. They know bet
ter now. and they would doubtless like 70 get
rid of Mr.. Cleveland, if they .ot;ld IT Is true
such a course would result in terrible dismay
and decentralization. Factions that arc now
doing about all the work for the ticket would.
i'm that event, be about rs eager nv put the
knife TO any new ticket. It y ould 10 ~.d IN
the County Ring that "Tammarv had driven
Cleveland from the field" and the result would
be disastrous 10 any candidate named III his
piace The great body of voters "h" have
bccomc attached TO Mr. Blaine btcans" o.
their hostility TO Mr. Cleveland, II any othcr
candidate should be PIT mp in his stead, would
i'm the main stick to Mr. Blaine because they
have learned To- appreciate ana 10 Ike INN.
Nor could any change of candidates alter tie
position on the tariff question which TIA" party
has deliberately taken. n is that position
essentially dishonest aud i'm ronl intent hostile
to American interests, that has caused much
the greater pnrt Of the revolt within the Demo
cratic party. The nomination of a ucw candi-
date would not cure that difficulty
Success cannot br promised 10 the Democratic
pali, if il gets nd Of Cleveland. IN truth, II
| There is any conceivable way IN waich That
| party can succeed. o1ccpt 10y frauds So eiEantir
| that thrit preparation sccms impossible. SO
cannot discover H. With uny other candidate
| pnt 40 N this late day. the Democrats would bo
| beaten, II lie probable. even Wotao IN the mot"
matter Of votes ihhu Nlh Cleveland himarli.
Atnll events the balance ot probabilities seems
t. us 10 lo that way. Then Mr., Cleveland has
at command the Erulous service of the most e.
prrcnccd and shameless contriVcrs of political
Iascaity In the country. They are IN position
to manage the campaign. If there 10 II chance
of stealing victory by any forgery or perjury
any trick OF crime, that chance is much greater
with Cleveland than it would be with any body
else, because his withdrawal would disgrace
managers like Thompson and Manning Bar
mum and German, and chill their ardor So
as to the mere result in votes, there is probably
nothing to be gained by change.
But the Democratic party is not compelled to
be both beaten and disgaced If it has man
hood enough and virtue enough, it can say,
even yet: 4" We will not vote for this man, nor
tolerate the shielding of official plundcrng
(which made HIM candidate, nor endure the
" defling prominence of men like Barnum and
"Thompson in campaign professcdly for
honest government. If we must 90 down, it
shall not be with lie on our lips. Better
defeat with any worthy candidate and man
agement-dcfeat without dshonor-than the
"inevitable defeat with intolerable disgrace
(which now threatens u.s." The country
would begin to have certain access of respect
for the Democratic party, if it could take such
a position.
Tie worst of it is that the party probably can
not do this decent thing, even iii would.