Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-06-23
A Charming Cenreniion.

n CnArmfng CenVenI1Ous
The Philadelphia Ledger thinks that
the proceedings and resolutions of the
New York Democratic convention show
very wise guidance Of the party in that
state. The resolutions were pointed to
a single issue, mainly, the need of a
president "wbose character and public
reputation shall givet to the whole people
assurance of an honest, impartial and
efficient administration Of the laws,
without suspicion Of personal ends or
private interests" Then the kind of gov
ernment meant Is pointed out In the
second resolution, which gives rs exam
ples Of it the state governments OF New
York from 1872 TO 1876 under Tilden,
and 1882 to 1881 under Cleveland. Be
vond this issue the resolutions do not
extepd, save to condemn contract labor
in prisons, about which there is no polit
cal dispute. They do not even name
candidate for president upon the plat
form raised, save by the implication that
the two men who gave New York its
good government have earned the ma
tion's confidence that they would do as
well by IL in its chief magistracy. The
Ledger goes on to say that:
These resolves are characterized by deep
sagacity and tact, both in what they say
and In what they omit to say. The one
issue is aimed squarely at one Of Mr..
Blaine's weak points-weak points as a
candidate, We mean, 1t proposes to
place against him a candidate who is
strongest precisely where Mr.. Blaine is
feared to be weakest. That candidate
may be either Mr.. Cleveland or Mr..
Tilden for tho Tilden question goes now
to Chicago an open question, referred to
the sound discretion Of the national con.
ventiou, in the significant language quoted
above. This is why, in fully aoknowl
edged Cleveland convention, there was no
Cleveland instruction, And, finally, the
one issue raised il Just the one which every
dissatisfied Republican reformer eau
adopt, without stultihcation, the question
Of honest and efficient civil government.
IL was master hand that drew thoso
three resolves.
The Ledger thinks that kindred
sagacity prompted the convention to
quiet all disputes among the factions OF
the party, aud to surrender everything
to the one dominant need that the issue
of character should be raised, New
YoIk's exemplars Of it pointed out
and the force of its voice be hurled at
the Chicago convention with naked
directness.
The Ledger may give too great credit
TO the New York delegates for wisdom,
and possibly the charmin, result Of
their deliberations was due rather to
their inability to agree upon disputed
things than to their desire not to de-
clare upon them.
But whatever the cause, the result is
equally commendable. IL states that have
presidential candidates would have the
self'control to refrain from instructing
for them, and be content to exhibit
them to the consideration of the rest Of
the country. their candidates would
fare quite as well in the ma
tiolal convention, because it has
come To be the practice for every state
with an aspiring statesman to send a
delegation committed to his interests /.
aud the practice has come to be more
honOred IN the breach than in the oh.
servance, because Of the many scaly
candidates who are thus thrust
forward. 1t is Objectionable, too
b cause the delegates should take
their seats in the interest of the party
and not OF any candidate, 50 New York
will appear at Chicago, and New York's
candidate appealsto the delegates Of the
whole country, not because of the pres
entation of him 10y his state, but because
of his recognized strength as a candidate
IN the issue which his state has raised.
And so it happens that although iniiu
ential politicians in New York are
opposed to Governor Cleveland's nomin.
alton, the action Of its convention has
been responded to by Democratic call
for Cleveland the Union over, that would
be quite likely to land him az the Chi
cago candidate without the vote of New
York itself.