The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-07-10
Our Washington Letter.
Special to the Democratic Press:
WASHINGTON, July 5, 1884.

WASHINGTON, July D, 1884.
The leaders of the two parties in both
Houses are looking forward with the
greatest interest to the Democratic
National Convention. They realize
that it's action will go far toward de-
cisiOn of the election. The interest of
the Republicans ls chiefly passive.
They hope to see the Democrats blum
der in their platform and their candi-
date. The majority of the Republicans
in the two Houses, though they would
not say so for publication, do not feel
confident that Blaine will be elected
without regard to the action of the
Democratic Convention. They fear
strong nomination and a shrewdly
worded tariff plank. Many of them
are hoping that the nomination may
be bad one or that the tariff plank
may be unsatisfactory, in order that
they may have II good excuse for giving
Blaine and Logan active support.
RANDALL'sS SELF CONFIDENCE.
Nothing in the present situation is
more interesting than Randall's utter
ances to his friends OH the floor of the
House. Randall's friends say that the
nomination of Cleveland or Bayard
would be calamity. Neither could
carry New York, and they do not
know any other candidate except Ran.
dali who could. This confidence in
Randalls success at Chicago is as
strong as his own. 1t is particularly
interesting to note that neither Ran
d nor any of his followers place any
C usiderable dependence upon the in
dependent votes to be thrown against
Blaine from the Republican party.
They think the number will be small,
and besides they are free traders and
their assistance would do the party
more harm than good. The Bayard
men and the Mcdonald men differ
only in candidates. They are all in
favor of a vigorous revenue reform dec
laration, of hospitable reception to
the republican bolters, whose aid they
consider valuable. and they all believe
that Blaine's record will do q great
deal to defeat him.
THE STUMBLING BLOCK THE TARIFF.
They are the Democratic Protection
lists who think that the tariff is to be
the great issue of the campaign. They
regard Blaine as very vulnerable and
Logan as manifestly unfit, but they
say the struggle will come over the
tariff question just as it did in 1880,
and, i'll order to succeed, the Demo.
Gratis must make a straightforward
declaration in favor of protective tariff
and then nominate man who has
cone more for the protection of Amer
ian labor and American industry than
any other living Democrat. The
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio
Democrats generally take this view
Randall himself thinks that the con-
test is to be contest of ideas aud not
one of men. He'thinks that the per-
sonal careers of Blaine and Logan will
drop out of view and that the people
will see them simply as the represent
atives of the American policy of pro-
lection. He believes that the Demo-
cratic Convention will see the necessi-
ty of meeting the Republicans OH their
own ground. He believes that he will
be nominated on platform whose
tariff plank will resemble those of the
Ohio and Pennsylvania Conventions
of last year. He believes, too, that he
will be elected. He believes that he
can carry Pennsylvania and New
York.
PAINFUL DISCLOSURES.
The exposures of dishonorable prac-
Iin.,. in The arrau and nnuu Ia .,,c .,f