The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-03-26
Several Ways Not to Win.

Bunker Hill. he said; "Wait till you
see the whites of their eyes, and then
aim low" The Republicans can begin
10 "see the whites OF their eyes" The
candidate of the three barrels s-the
money barrel. the whisky barrel, and
The oil barrels likely to be the Dem
ncratic candidate He will be strong
candidate, too. II would be the height
Of folly TO underestimate his strength.
Mr. Payne is strong in what he has, and
IN what he has not He has wealth and
fair reputation, and he has not long
and loaded record. He is from Ohio,
and that State votes in October. His
nomination will hopelessly wreck from
the start the Democratic notion of APP
pealiny to the communistic hatred Of
great corporations, but that will be u
piece of good luck for the party. Mr..
Payne's relations with corporations and
moneyel men will give HIM kind of
strength that mere wealth will not give
Mr.. Tilden, the railroad lawyer, and
that no other Democratic candidate for
long time has been able to command
in any degree. In short. the candidate
Of three barrels Of strength,
Mr. Payne has weak points also,
which we do not propose now to dis
cuss. 1t is best for the Republicans, at
the very outset, TO realize that here is q
candidate whose nomination is possible,
and from present appearances even
probable, whom it will be no holiday
amusement TO defeat. 1t is time to
think about tax 'ng aim. A weak NOM
nation or n frivolous nomination will
not defeat that particular foe. One or
two men can be nominated who will
render the defeat of the Democrats with
Mr.. Payne almost a certainty. But a
great many others are talked about,
who would in all probability be beaten
by him. A shot aimed at the right
place will kill; all the other shots will
miss.
For one thing. il will not be exactly
in order to aim at Mr.. Payne as q
Northern man with Southern principles.
He was the lokcsman of the majority
in behalf of the platform adopted in the
Democratic Convention of 1S60-that
platform whose adoption Southern dee.
cations protested against by seeding.
II was not a platform that would be
called very brilliant or statesman-like
to-day, but IL took some independence
to insist upon il when disruption of the
convention and of the party was the
known consequence. II will not pay .to
nominate against Mr.. PAYNE any man
who has not the respect and confidence
Of the conservative and business ele.
ments Of the country. A candidate
who does not know what he believes
about the money question, or who hap
pens TO believe wrong. will have hard
time Of it. II the Republican party SC
behaves as TO retain the confidence
which its splendid course has inspired
In conservative and property-owning
citizens, and names a candidate who
has been identified with that honorable
career, II need not fear. But II can moi
afford this year to ignore the wishes Of
such citizens; still less can il afford tC
affront them.
The Democrats have chosen to put
their convention later than the Repub.
lican. II u nomination that is weak ol
vulnerable should be made by the Re
publicans, we may expect to see the ut
most advantage taken OF it. Any man
Of average sense can name several nom.
nations that would infallibly hand over
the electoral votes OF New York, New
Jersey and Ohio TO the Democratic
party. But there is not the slightest
need Of going wrong. The convention
has only to remember that the past con
duct Of the Republican party in regarC
TO public faith, honest money and pro
lection Of industry, has secured for 4
the confidence Of conservative interests
II has no reason TO throw away thai
that confidence, or TO shake 1t. The
convention has only TO select a candi
date who represents what the Republic
an party has done that Is wise anC
worthy OF confidence. II can find NOR,
than one. But il would be particularly
Vnwise TO select candidate who ha
not been in sympathy with what is wis,
and worthy of confidence in the pas
eonduct Of the party. This Is not tn,
year TO make that blunder with impu
nity. m Y Tribune.
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